Denis Naughten (Roscommon-Galway, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I have no difficulty with the Minister carrying out reviews. It is important that he does so. Another recommendation in the programme for Government is that the Government will progress a living wage over its term. We should use the childcare staff and sector as a pilot to roll out the living wage across the country. Regardless of what reports are produced, we all agree - the Minister agreed with me - that the current wages and terms of conditions of staff are completely unacceptable. No matter what recommendations come out of these reviews, we all accept that the wages staff get need to be increased. Let us start with the living wage and pilot it within the childcare sector. No other sector of society would disagree with that because it would unlock employment for many thousands of women across the country.

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