Maurice Quinlivan (Limerick City, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

People will be bitterly disappointed if the commission reports back and the living wage is not €12.30 or more per hour. People have suggested that the living wage should be €12.30 per hour. The reason that we are demanding a living wage in this country is because issues such as the cost of rent, public transport and childcare have not been addressed. Until they are addressed, we are going to be demanding a living wage of €12.30 per hour.

I wish to remind people and businesses that we also need to amend the National Minimum Wage Act 2000, which contained an exception for businesses that could prove that they could not pay the minimum wage. The same thing should be done with the living wage. In fairness, as far as I am aware no company ever used that exemption because they realised they had to pay it and it was the decent thing to do and they wanted to keep their workers. I do not have to tell the Tánaiste, because it is proven, that the more you pay your workers when you can, the better outcomes you will have. It is better for productivity and the economy, and it means that there are fewer State interventions providing for people who are on poverty wages. I look forward to hearing the Tánaiste's response.

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