Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

There is a need to strike a balance. The living wage technical group comprises representatives of NGOs and academics. It does not engage with the business sector. To strike the right balance, that engagement needs to take place. On the basis of engagement, we have made sure the national minimum wage has been increased in the past four years. It has been increased by 13.3%. If a recommendation is made that it be increased this year, I am sure it will be taken on board by the Minister, but we would need to make sure there would be no unintended consequences, as the Taoiseach said yesterday. The Senator rightly pointed to what the Taoiseach had said. If we interfere with the market unduly - in my earlier contribution I spoke about interfering in the market unduly - and increase the national minimum wage above and beyond what has been recommended, we may see people's hours being cut and jobs being lost because it may not be possible for employers to keep them on. We need to be sure we will strike that balance. We need to make sure the lowest paid workers will be given the highest possible wages. It will then be up to employers whether they want to go above and beyond the set national minimum wage. We need to do this within the existing statutory framework which was established in 2015. We will continue to engage with the Low Pay Commission to make sure any recommendation it makes in consultation with all sectors and bodies involved is taken on board.