Ivana Bacik (Dublin Bay South, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I will agree with the Tánaiste on one thing, which is that statistics can be used in all sorts of ways. Relativities are important. When one quotes statistics on wages, the key issue for everyone feeling it in their pockets is purchasing power, the actual relativity between take-home pay and the cost of living. Let us not forget that in Ireland we are paying for many things that other European countries provide for free, such as early years education and care and healthcare, particularly for children. We have higher costs for education and in many sectors than in other countries. The minimum wage has only increased by €1.35 in the last six years despite faster economic growth and higher inflation. We are clearly seeing a national minimum wage that has not kept pace with inflation. That has really caused a particularly difficult and tough squeeze on those households that are most in need and suffering most as we see the spiralling rate of inflation.

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