Louise O'Reilly (Dublin Fingal, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Sinn Féin introduced legislation on this matter in 2018 and 2021. We believe that the practice is exploitative. If what the Minister of State is saying is true and it is not happening, it would not make a blind bit of difference if the Government legislated for it. It is fair to say that it is happening. It is not happening everywhere, there are many good employers, but it is happening, and the anecdotal evidence is there. We can also see that these workers continue to be employed. Sub-minimum rates of pay have been abolished in Germany, Spain, Korea, Canada and Belgium. It is time that we moved quickly to follow suit. In the middle of a cost-of-living crisis, it is unfair to have available a reservoir of workers who are paid less than others. There is no sub-minimum rate of work, hours or effort; there is only a sub-minimum rate of pay. These people do the same work as others. The principle of equal pay for work of equal value should apply.

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