Mick Barry (Cork North Central, Solidarity) | Oireachtas source

The Taoiseach increased the minimum wage this year by less than 3%, which is in real terms a very serious pay cut for the country's lowest-paid workers. Now he intends to increase it for next year by less than 8%, which is another pay cut in real terms. His annual report talks of building a better society. How can he say that he is doing that when a worker in this country who is on €11.30 an hour cannot live a decent life? This increase would not feed the pigeons. I want to invite the Taoiseach to come down to the Grand Parade this Saturday to observe the Cork cost-of-living demonstration. He will see thousands of people who are anxious about heating their homes this winter, who are discontented about the lack of action from his Government and who are demanding real change - not token change, but real change - in this budget. It might be a useful way for him to spend an hour of his time this Saturday.

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