Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

There is a group - I forget exactly how it is described - that calculates the living wage at €12.30 per hour. If I remember, it also recommended that there be no increase in it last year. I do not know what the recommendation will be for next year. The group is made up mainly of people from the trade union movement, academics and those from NGOs. They are all worthy and learned people but they have not included in the group any representatives from small business or the employment or business sector, for example. That does affect the legitimacy of that calculation. As the Deputy is aware, one thing we always have to bear in mind is the difference between the minimum wage in Northern Ireland and that in this jurisdiction, and how that can affect Border business and cause businesses in the Border region to lose out, lose business and even lose workers and staff and have to lay them off if the differential between North and South is great. I would encourage the Deputy to use his influence to improve wages in the North if he can.

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