Pat Breen (Clare, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I remind Deputy Maurice Quinlivan that the minimum wage in Ireland is the second highest in Europe after Luxembourg. The idea behind establishing the Low Pay Commission last year was to take responsibility for the matter away from the Government. The commission consists of academics, business people and trade union representatives whose task is to make a balanced decision on the level of the minimum wage each year. It is working on the issue and, I understand, will make a decision in July. The idea was to take it away from the Government and place it before a small group which was balanced and independent in its composition.

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