Results 12,661-12,680 of 14,127 for speaker:David Stanton

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Low Pay Commission Recommendations on the National Minimum Wage: Discussion (18 Oct 2023)

David Stanton: I welcome the witnesses and thank them for the work they are doing. The reports of the Low Pay Commission are interesting and I would like to see publication of the other work that it has commissioned and that was mentioned in the submission. The submission states that the Low Pay Commission estimates that 148,100 people earned at or below the minimum wage in 2022. I am not sure whether it...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Low Pay Commission Recommendations on the National Minimum Wage: Discussion (18 Oct 2023)

David Stanton: That is useful to know. The submission also states that consideration should be given to how employers of a significant number of low-wage employees can be supported during the progression to a living wage. Can the witnesses outline the areas and categories of employment that it is referring to in that sentence? Are we talking about retailers or other kinds of employers?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Low Pay Commission Recommendations on the National Minimum Wage: Discussion (18 Oct 2023)

David Stanton: That is interesting. How soon would those recommendations be available?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Low Pay Commission Recommendations on the National Minimum Wage: Discussion (18 Oct 2023)

David Stanton: There is a section on board and lodgings in the commission's report. There are maximum rates of €1.01 per hour for board only and €26.70 per week for lodgings only, or €3.91 a day. They came into effect on 1 January 2023. The report referenced that these are reviewed annually. In the context of the commission's current recommendations, where do these figures stand?...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Low Pay Commission Recommendations on the National Minimum Wage: Discussion (18 Oct 2023)

David Stanton: My question related to the report's statement that, "These rates came into effect from 1 January 2023 and are reviewed annually in the context of recommendations on the National Minimum Wage rate." Are those rates part of the current recommendations we are talking about?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Low Pay Commission Recommendations on the National Minimum Wage: Discussion (18 Oct 2023)

David Stanton: Are these the current rates? Do we expect reviewed or revised rates to be produced?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Low Pay Commission Recommendations on the National Minimum Wage: Discussion (18 Oct 2023)

David Stanton: When will those be available?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Low Pay Commission Recommendations on the National Minimum Wage: Discussion (18 Oct 2023)

David Stanton: The report also mentions that one in six older people is in low-paid employment. The other issue is that of the youth rate. What is the commission's thinking with respect to the youth rate? It is preparing a report for the Minister on that, but where does it stand at present? What is the commission's thinking on the youth rate? Should it be abolished completely and brought up to the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Low Pay Commission Recommendations on the National Minimum Wage: Discussion (18 Oct 2023)

David Stanton: I respect the commission's position. When does it expect this issue to be presented to the Minister?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Low Pay Commission Recommendations on the National Minimum Wage: Discussion (18 Oct 2023)

David Stanton: By the end of this year?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Low Pay Commission Recommendations on the National Minimum Wage: Discussion (18 Oct 2023)

David Stanton: I thank the witnesses again. I just have a few questions. On the final point made by my colleague from Tipperary, is the fact that we are now beyond full employment - I think the term that is being used - putting upward pressure on the minimum wage anyway? Regarding the competition for workers and the fact that many of the business owners we all meet tell us they find it difficult to get...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Low Pay Commission Recommendations on the National Minimum Wage: Discussion (18 Oct 2023)

David Stanton: But there is no research so far on that specific point that Dr. Walsh is aware of.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Low Pay Commission Recommendations on the National Minimum Wage: Discussion (18 Oct 2023)

David Stanton: In another section of his report, Dr. Walsh referred to compliance and enforcement. He referred to displaying entitlements in the workplace and so on. There is a plan to actually do that, involving the Workplace Relations Commission and the Low Pay Commission. That has been put on hold. Dr. Walsh recommends that post-pandemic work recommences on the promotion of a poster, among other...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Low Pay Commission Recommendations on the National Minimum Wage: Discussion (18 Oct 2023)

David Stanton: That makes sense with regard January, so we look forward to some of that happening. We heard that people would be informed and have information available with respect to their rights, and that employers would be informed of their responsibilities with respect to compliance. Will the witnesses speak on enforcement of the national minimum wage? I know a number of enforcement orders have...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Low Pay Commission Recommendations on the National Minimum Wage: Discussion (18 Oct 2023)

David Stanton: Can the witnesses tell us how we compare with other countries in the European Union?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Low Pay Commission Recommendations on the National Minimum Wage: Discussion (18 Oct 2023)

David Stanton: I refer to the minimum wage level itself rather than non-compliance. How do we compare?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Low Pay Commission Recommendations on the National Minimum Wage: Discussion (18 Oct 2023)

David Stanton: Where will the increase coming in January leave us? The witnesses may not have that information there. Do they expect it will put us higher up the table?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Low Pay Commission Recommendations on the National Minimum Wage: Discussion (18 Oct 2023)

David Stanton: The witnesses have done work on the number of people on the minimum wage by gender, by nationality, migrant status and so on. Have they looked or do they intend to look at disability? We have done some work on workers with disabilities. We know we are not doing so well on the European league table in that area. Have the witnesses done any work in the area of people with disability on...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Low Pay Commission Recommendations on the National Minimum Wage: Discussion (18 Oct 2023)

David Stanton: The number of people with disabilities in the workplace is not as high as it could or should be. Are the wages they are being paid and supports they have impacting on that? As Dr. Walsh says, that is for another day.

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Departmental Funding (19 Oct 2023)

David Stanton: 27. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht to outline the way she is supporting community radio stations across the country; the community radio stations that she has supported in the past; the amount of support each has received; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45047/23]