Paul Murphy (Dublin South West, Socialist Party) | Oireachtas source

I look forward to that happening. Does the Minister of State agree that the prevalence of low pay among women and young people speaks against it being in any way an equal recovery or a recovery for ordinary people? Does the Government and the Labour Party, in particular, consider it to be a source of embarrassment that two thirds of low-paid workers are women, that 50% of women earn less than €20,000 per year and that the highest levels of growth in precarious work are in areas dominated by female workers such as the retail sector? The incidence of low pay among the under-30s is around 40%, on average, while teenagers receive 70% of the adult minimum wage rate. Does the Government consider this to be a source of embarrassment and is it concerned about it? Is it going to introduce a minimum wage that is a living wage on which people will be able to survive?

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