Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Like Deputy Dillon, I fully support the principle of the legislation that we progress to a living wage over the lifetime of this Government. That is at the very heart of Government policy. It is clear that all Members of the House feel the exponential increase in the cost of energy, the increase in the cost of living and the pressure on families in our dealings with the public in our constituencies every week. The Government is very much aware and conscious of that. In this debate, Opposition Deputies have commented that the minimum wage is less than the living wage. Notwithstanding that, it has been increased eight times since Fine Gael came into office. That is a significant and important number of increases. It is never enough and is not enough now but it was increased to €10.50 in January. If the living wage is €12.90 now, then the Government is committed to delivering whatever that living wage is determined to be by the end of the time of the programme for Government.

Deputies also spoke as if there was no intervention from the State on subsidising petrol and diesel. The Government has spent significant money, and rightly so, on subsidising the cost of fuel. It has given a payment to homes towards the cost of electricity, which I am aware was a once-off, and has also reduced the cost of drugs. Indeed, this week the cost of public transport has been significantly reduced. I think it was reduced by 20%. There is, therefore, significant concern, awareness and action from the Government. With the decibels from some of the groups on the Opposition side, the louder they are the less sense they make. The reality is that this Government is committed to the living wage and to subsidising families, especially poorer families and those who have relied on fuel allowance.

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