Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour) | Oireachtas source

The Taoiseach will recall very well that his predecessor had an economic adviser who was, if I can put it this way, a very strong voice in all the deliberations of the previous Administration. Does the Taoiseach intend to appoint an economic adviser or is somebody fulfilling that role right now?

Over Christmas, the Taoiseach warned that wage growth posed a threat to the economy? It struck me as very odd that the matter he decided to focus on as the most significant threat to the future economic well-being of the country was wage inflation. Does he not accept that wage rises are very modest and wage growth in 2017 was below 2%, with average weekly earnings hardly rising at all in the past number of years for many workers? It is time they got a break so as to share in the recovery we can see that is manifesting economic growth rates. Does the Taoiseach accept that workers deserve a pay rise, particularly in light of pressures in the housing and rental markets that have become so obvious?

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