Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

The Low Pay Commission should be looking at a living wage, not the minimum wage. The Taoiseach is wrong to state that those on the minimum wage are simply people who are working for pin money or to earn supplementary incomes. Almost half of those on the minimum wage are full-time workers. The minimum wage stands at €9.80 per hour. Everyone here, including the Taoiseach, earns multiples of that.

At least the Taoiseach gave a straight answer. He said "No" and indicated that he is not interested in improving the living standards and the quality of life of low-paid workers. What is proposed here is not a ransom, it is not a fortune. It is €12.30 an hour. The State ought to lead by example. It should be a matter of shame that the State has in its employment public servants and some civil servants who work for less than that. Shame on the Government. No wonder he is dragging his heals in respect of the soldiers, those who work in the Naval Service and the Defence Forces. As the Taoiseach just acknowledged, he does not care and the answer is "No".

Legislation for a living wage would make provision for the health and financial circumstances of business.

Of course that is the case. The Taoiseach knows full well that the minimum wage has latitudes like that; of course the living wage would have to take account of the financial state of health of any enterprise. As a matter of public policy and basic standards, people at work should expect that they can live a basic, decent life and that work actually pays. I have a document here laying out Sinn Féin's position on the living wage. I am very happy to share it with the Taoiseach. I hope he will read it and, more importantly, act on it.

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