Gerald Nash (Louth, Labour) | Oireachtas source

That would be appreciated. It is something we intend to raise in the context of the Finance Bill and probably more appropriately, the social welfare Bill. Our own analysis, which has been confirmed by the Parliamentary Budget Office, shows that in terms of the national minimum wage, a worst-case scenario could see many full-time workers on the minimum wage lose more than 30% of the 80 cent per hour increase because no adaptation is being made with regard to the PRSI threshold. That diverges from what policy has been over the years.

In 2015, for example, significant moneys were made available to address the USC issue, which is being addressed this year as well. Money was also used to address the PRSI cliff-edge problem. This can, therefore, be rectified. I hope the Minister will use his good offices with the Minister for Social Protection to seek to do that. There is an issue here that needs to be addressed. The principle that as much as possible of the increase that goes to a full-time national minimum wage worker should be taken home is something everybody should accept.

See this speech in context