Neale Richmond (Dublin Rathdown, Fine Gael)
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The Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) is an independent, statutory body under the aegis of my Department, established on 1st October 2015 under the Workplace Relations Act 2015. The WRC’s primary functions include the inspection of employment law compliance, the provision of information on employment law, mediation, adjudication, conciliation, facilitation, and advisory services.

All inspections carried out by Labour Inspectors of the WRC involve checking compliance with all relevant legislation, including the National Minimum Wage Act, 2000. Where breaches are identified, WRC Inspectors seek the immediate restoration of rights and entitlements and the payment of any associated unpaid wages.

Where compliance is not achieved the WRC has a number of legal instruments available to achieve compliance; these include Fixed Penalty Notices, Compliance Notices and in the case of the National Minimum Wage Act, criminal prosecution. In 2023 WRC inspectors secured repayment to employees of €1,950,601 in unpaid wages and entitlements across all legislation. The WRC inspectorate is currently carrying out a campaign of inspections aimed at highlighting the increased National Minimum Wage rates from 1 January 2024 and ensuring that employees are in receipt of all legal entitlements.

I am satisfied that the WRC’s approach to achieving compliance with the legislation is both effective and proportionate.

The Table attached sets out the number of breaches of the minimum wage legislation identified by the WRC inspectorate in the course of its inspections in each of the years 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023.