Gerald Nash (Louth, Labour)
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726. To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if he will provide this Deputy with copies of all material, records and correspondence from 1 January to the 15 April between his office (details supplied) and all relevant officials of his Department and the Low Pay Commission officials, commission members and the Chair relating to the work of the Commission on the introduction of the living wage and with a specific focus on the Government announcement of a new Action Plan on Competitiveness and Productivity on 15 April, and the reported delay to the planned introduction of a living wage; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20069/25]

Peter Burke (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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On 15th April 2025 the Government approved the acceleration of the development of a new whole-of-government Action Plan on Competitiveness and Productivity, alongside a suite of immediate measures designed to bolster business resilience and support competitiveness.

As part of these immediate measures Government has agreed to adjust the implementation timeline for the Living Wage to 2029.

The Government remains committed to the introduction of a Living Wage during its term.

The Government wants to make sure that any further increases in the National Minimum Wage are managed in a sustainable way, and in a way that does not threaten employment or competitiveness. The Government will find a balance between a fair and sustainable rate for low paid workers, and one that will not have significant negative consequences for employers and competitiveness.

Government’s decision on the adjustment of the timeline for the progression to a living wage follows the recent substantial increases in the National Minimum Wage which underlined our commitment to fair wages.

Following Government approval of this measure, I wrote to the Low Pay Commission Chair to advise him of this revised timeline and ask that, in addition to its statutory obligation to consider relevant criteria, the Commission takes due cognisance of the Government decision to progress to a living wage by 2029, and makes annual recommendations on the appropriate adjustments required to give effect to this decision.

The Programme for Government includes the commitment that this Government will recognise the work of the independent Low Pay Commission, ensuring fair wages whilst also supporting the viability of small and medium-sized enterprises.

I look forward to receiving the Low Pay Commission’s recommendation for the 2026 National Minimum Wage in July.