Paul Murphy (Dublin South West, Solidarity)
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8. To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the interactions he or his Department have had with the owner of a business (details supplied) since taking office; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21247/25]

Paul Murphy (Dublin South West, Solidarity)
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The last couple of weeks have seen the Minister abandon a series of promises to workers. He abandoned the promises to extend sick leave and introduce a living wage. Incredibly, he is refusing to scrap sub-minimum wages. People watching this performance might ask if the Minister is following the lead of the most anti-trade union boss in Ireland, Michael O'Leary, who launched the Minister's election campaign last November. Has the Minister had any more meetings with Mr. O'Leary since he took office? How has his relationship with the latter influenced the Minister's decisions?

Peter Burke (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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I have had no meetings, interactions or correspondence with the business owner in question since my appointment as Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment last year in connection with any of my work, and nor has my Department.

Paul Murphy (Dublin South West, Solidarity)
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At the Minister's campaign launch, Michael O'Leary stated:

We need a government that delivers for enterprise ... it’s vital that we elect a government that gets shit done ... I can think of nobody here, certainly in the current government, who demonstrates more action, more energy ... than Peter Burke.

That is more action and more energy for enterprise. Is that why the Minister is doing what he is doing? Is he following the lead of Michael O'Leary, an anti-trade union and anti-worker boss, in reneging on previous commitments to extend sick leave, introduce a living wage and honour the vote of the previous Dáil to abolish sub-minimum wage rates and the legalised discrimination against and super-exploitation of young workers which allows them to be paid even less than the minimum wage? The Minister talks about employment rights and says he is in favour of them. His actions demonstrate the opposite. The fact that he had the most famously anti-worker, anti-union boss in the country launch his election campaign suggests that opposite is the case.

Peter Burke (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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My actions demonstrate that we have supported employment and workers throughout our economy. We are committed to achieving a living wage. We are about 3.5% away from it under one metric, which is the survey data for the labour force. Second, we are on it in the CSO data relating to the structure of earnings. I pointed out clearly the number of improvements we have made. We are committed to auto-enrolment, which will come in on 1 January, to protect the futures of workers.

Paul Murphy (Dublin South West, Solidarity)
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Delayed.

Peter Burke (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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We have banned zero-hour contracts. We have worked to bring in tips and gratuities legislation to protect the most vulnerable workers. We have introduced a sick pay scheme that is ever-present. We were clear in our manifesto before we went into government that, at this point in time, we did not feel we could extend it any further. We have commissioned a review of employment legislation. We have committed to an action plan for collective bargaining in respect of which public consultation is now underway. In all those areas, as well as in the context of additional rights such as that to request remote working, supporting workers and significant increases in the minimum wage over the past number of years, no Government has done more for workers' rights than this Administration and those that preceded it. That is a fact.

Paul Murphy (Dublin South West, Solidarity)
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Saying that is a fact does not make it a fact. The Government has been in power for three or four months. It has not progressed workers' rights at all. It has taken a series of negative steps and reneged on the commitments to extend sick leave and establish a living wage and on the vote of the previous Dáil to abolish sub-minimum wages. I will focus on the latter. The Dáil voted two years ago to abolish sub-minimum wages. There was then a delay of a year because the Low Pay Commission was charged with looking at the matter. The commission looked at and unanimously recommended the abolition of sub-minimum wages. The Government then wanted to kick the can down the road again and said that an economic impact assessment was needed. I got a reply from the Minister two days ago to a parliamentary question in which I asked how this was progressing. He indicated that it is due to be finalised in June or July, but he has already made the decision. In advance of the economic impact assessment, he is also going to suspend the decision on that. I presume that is for three years. I am referring here to a legalised situation whereby young people are paid less than the minimum wage. That is scandalous, and the Minister has the cheek to say that it is a fact that he is working for workers' rights.

Peter Burke (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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It is a fact that the Government committed to an action plan on collective bargaining in its first three months in office. It is a fact that we are commencing auto-enrolment on 1 January.

Paul Murphy (Dublin South West, Solidarity)
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That is a delay.

Peter Burke (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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It is a fact that we have commenced a review of all employment legislation. It is a fact that the Government has worked to protect the most vulnerable workers.

Paul Murphy (Dublin South West, Solidarity)
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No, it is not.

Peter Burke (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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It is a fact that we have significantly increased the minimum wage in the years since the establishment of the Low Pay Commission.

Paul Murphy (Dublin South West, Solidarity)
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It is not-----

Peter Burke (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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It absolutely is. I have quoted the figure of an increase of 29% since 2022. That is a fact. Of people who are 15 to 19 who are entitled and legally able to work, only a quarter are earning sub-minimum rates. It is a very small number of people. Critically, we have to look at barriers of entry to education, which is very important. The evidence I have behind that has not been available to allow that decision to be taken. The Low Pay Commission was clear that this is a complex issue. It said that in its report. I am going to examine the matter further. In connection with the work, the Cabinet has decided to make a decision in 2029, which is final.

Paul Murphy (Dublin South West, Solidarity)
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In 2029.