Mary Mitchell O'Connor (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The news that the company in question has committed to an additional investment and an increase by 100 in its workforce is a welcome development for County Clare and the wider region. It will create new employment opportunities for the people of the area as well as serving as a real endorsement of the Shannon area as an attractive destination for inward investment.

All companies operating in Ireland, including the business in question, are subject to a range of employment related legislation. Employees also have the benefit of various statutory protections and entitlements. This legislative framework provides certainty for all those in the country’s labour market and ensures workers are treated fairly under the law.

Beyond changes to minimum wage rates, the Government cannot specify remuneration levels for new hires in businesses, whether those are supported by our development agencies or otherwise. Private sector employers must retain flexibility to determine the appropriate pay levels in their respective businesses. We need to remember too that multinational companies in Ireland are operating in an increasingly competitive and challenging global marketplace.

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