Peter Burke (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael)

The Government has committed to achieving the living wage in the current Administration. The increases of 12% and 10% we have had in recent number years are significantly above wage growth in economy which is 3.5%.

They are also above the inflation rate relating to our economy, which has now tapered down to about 1.75%. My key issue is to make and ensure that any increases are sustainable. We are doing that, and we have the evidence. The first piece of evidence is the joint report from the Departments of Enterprise, Trade and Employment and Social Protection which stated that there would be a 36% increase by 2026 on 2023 levels between the living wage, auto enrolment and sick pay for our smallest family businesses.

Some 75% of workers minimum wage workers are in retail and hospitality, and evidence from the PwC barometer indicates a 50% increase in insolvencies in those sectors. This means that jobs are being lost in those sectors. I want to ensure that workers have real wage growth, which they will because the increases in the minimum wage will continue and are at levels significantly above the rate of inflation. I will take on board the recommendations of the Low Pay Commission when I receive its report in the third week in July.

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