Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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Question 1096: To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment 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 one euro 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 one euro 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 one euro 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. [43754/06]

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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All staff currently employed by my Department earn above the national minimum wage.

There are 3 staff currently employed by my Department, earning not more than one euro per hour more than the minimum wage. These staff are on the first point of the Department of Finance payscale for the cleaner grade.

One agency of my Department has 1 student on work experience who earns the minimum wage and employs between 1 and 4 workers on a seasonal basis who earn not more than one euro per hour more than the national minimumwage.

There are no staff employed by my Department or by my Department's agencies earning less than the national minimum wage or earning the sub-minimum wage as defined by Sections 15 and 16 of the National Minimum Wage Act 2000.

The employment of staff by contractors is a matter for the individual contractor. However all contractors employed by my Department are obliged by their contract agreement to comply with the national minimum wage legislation.