Willie O'Dea (Limerick City, Fianna Fail)
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Question 92: To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation his policy on the minimum wage; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13162/12]

Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)
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Ireland, along with nineteen other countries among the EU's 27 Member States, has national legislation setting a minimum wage. There are large differences in the level of the national minimum wage across countries with the highest minimum wage in euro terms (both hourly and monthly) being more than 10 times higher than the lowest. In January 2012, the gross minimum monthly wage in the EU ranged from 138 EUR (Bulgaria) to 1,801 EUR (Luxembourg).

The current Programme for Government contained a commitment to reverse the €1 per hour reduction in the National Minimum Wage introduced by the previous Government on 1 February 2011. Agreement was reached with the Troika on the reversal. The increase was provided for in the Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2011 and effected by the National Minimum Wage Act 2000 (Section 11) (No. 2) Order 2011 on July 1st 2011. The restoration of the National Minimum Wage to €8.65 per hour represents a significant commitment by the Government to protect the lowest paid and most vulnerable workers.