Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the reply and would be interested in the minimum wage quantum survey referred to by the Minister of State. She might indicate when Members can expect it to be completed. On the Minister of State's point regarding the sampling methodology, essentially the surveys she mentioned earlier such as the household quarterly survey, the earnings hours and so on all are sample-based surveys. She might revert to Members at a later stage, but what would it take to conduct a proper research-based statistical analysis involving primary data? I ask because the State carries out a census and when I was Minister for Health long ago, I was involved in initiating the longitudinal study to provide long-term data to inform policy on children and young people. That was a long-term commitment made by the State at the time. Likewise, there is a case to be made in respect of wage and employment structures. What would it take for a full-blown primary data procurement approach to understanding them fully? While sampling can give a good indication, it also may miss things along the way. The Minister of State may respond at a later stage as to what it would take to go outside the box and take a form of approach other than just a sampling approach.

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