Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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Question 508: To ask the Minister for Finance the number of staff in his Department currently earning the national minimum wage; the number of staff in his Department currently earning not more than €1 per hour more than the minimum wage; the number of staff in his Department's agencies currently earning the national minimum wage; the number of staff in his Department's agencies currently earning not more than €1 per hour more than the minimum wage; the number of staff who are employed by contractors to his Department currently earning the national minimum wage; the number employed by contractors of his Department currently earning not more than €1 per hour more than the minimum wage; the number of staff in his Department currently earning less than the national minimum wage, including those earning the sub-minimum wage as defined by sections 15 and 16 of the National Minimum Wage Act 2000; the number of staff in his Department's agencies currently earning less than the national minimum wage, including those earning the sub-minimum wage as defined by sections 15 and 16 of the National Minimum Wage Act 2000; the number of staff who are employed by contractors to his Department currently earning less than the national minimum wage, including those earning the sub-minimum wage as defined by sections 15 and 16 of the National Minimum Wage Act 2000; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43756/06]

Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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The minimum starting rates of pay in my Department are €389.76 per week, for Services Officers and Services Attendants, and €436.29 per week for Clerical Officers. These rates are in excess of the National Minimum wage, including the addition of one euro per hour. Accordingly, there are no staff serving in my Department, earning the national minimum wage, less than the national minimum wage, or at a rate of not more than one euro per hour in excess of the national minimum wage.

With the exception of the Office of Public Works which currently employs 35 apprentices and trainees who are legislatively exempted under section 5 of the National Minimum Wage Act 2000, all agencies under the aegis of my Department have confirmed that there are no staff serving in those agencies earning the national minimum wage, less than the national minimum wage, or a rate of not more than one euro per hour in excess of the national minimum wage.

My Department does not have details of payments made to individual employees of external contractors engaged by the Department. However, when tendering for services, my Department requires that potential contractors are in compliance with the necessary statutory terms and conditions applicable to all workers in Ireland, including, where appropriate any Joint Labour Committee Agreements.