Niall Ó Brolcháin (Green Party)

There are real concerns with regard to the minimum wage which is to be reduced by 12% through this legislation. Social welfare payments are to be reduced by 4%. We need to be careful about poverty traps when considering the reduction in the minimum wage.

The Bill provides for certain safeguards, such as giving the Minister the power to vary the minimum wage. I would love to hear a commitment from Fine Gael that it will reverse the measure when it gets into power.