Mick Barry (Cork North Central, Solidarity) | Oireachtas source

I find it incredible that the Minister is attempting to deny that there has been a sharp increase in low-paid employment. What were the numbers he gave us for FIS? There were 32,000 recipient families in 2012 and 57,000 in 2016. Yet, the numbers in employment have increased from 1.86 million to a little more than 2 million. One is an extremely sharp increase and the other is a not insignificant increase. There is a huge gap between the two. It is undeniable to anyone with eyes and ears that there is a sharp increase in low-paid employment in this country. That the Minister has come to the House today and attempted to deny that is quite incredible. I put it to the Minister to admit to the House that while employment has been going up, there has been a very sharp increase indeed in low-paid employment in this State, something which many facts and figures will back up.

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