Louise O'Reilly (Dublin Fingal, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I very much welcome the opportunity to speak to the motion. I am interested to hear from the Government what could possibly be its arguments against a living wage. A living wage prevents in-work poverty. Will the Minister say that she is pro in-work poverty or that she is a cheerleader for it? Is it that she does not know people who work all the hours God sends and still go to bed every night worried that the car might break down or that they might need to go to the doctor? Is it that she does not interact with them? I have those people in my family. I know them very well. I see those people every day in my offices. They are not afraid to come and talk to Sinn Féin because they know Sinn Féin is a party that will stand with them and use every opportunity to stand up for them.

If it is not the case that the Minister is pro in-work poverty, I fail to understand the argument she makes against a living wage. When Fianna Fáil cut the minimum wage for workers, it did not create a single job. It did not contribute to any economic recovery. In fact, it just made poor people even poorer. It made people much worse off.

Anyone watching this debate knows well who is on their side. They know well who will stand up for them. I am very proud to be a member of a party that supports the living wage and is very much opposed to in-work poverty because that is what this is; the living wage is the minimum. It is what people need to simply live and not just exist. It is what is needed to ensure people do not go to bed at night worried that their car will break down, that they may need to visit the doctor or that they will have a small out-of-pocket expense. The living wage prevents in-work poverty. I would love to hear the arguments in favour of in-work poverty.

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