Sinn Féin spokesperson on Enterprise, Trade, and Employment, Louise O’Reilly TD, has said that the recommendation from the Low Pay Commission for an increase of 80 cent in the minimum wage is unacceptable given the current crises facing workers.

Teachta O’Reilly said:

“The recommendation from the Low Pay Commission to increase the minimum wage by only 80 cent is unacceptable.

“Workers are being pummelled by the cost-of-living crisis and the recommendation is far from what is needed to make sure work pays.

“The increase is also totally inadequate as the first steps towards progressing to a Living Wage.

“In the past number of months, there have been increases in rents, fuel, food and energy costs, to name but a few, which has meant the cost of living has spiralled out of control for workers.

“There is an immediate need to move towards a Living Wage in Budget 2023 to tackle low pay and the cost-of-living crisis. The recommendation by the Low Pay Commission fails to grasp this.

“Therefore, it is no wonder the two nominees from the Irish Congress of Trade Unions opposed the recommendation.

“It is not lost on any worker that business representatives met with the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade, and Employment this week seeking state support to help with the current cost of doing business crisis.

“We are facing into the third budget in a row where billions of euros of funding and supports will be provided by the state to businesses to deal with economic turbulence – this is, and was, necessary and needed.

“However, it is unacceptable that the same fairness is not afforded to ordinary workers.

“I am calling on the government to move past the Low Pay Commission and enact a significant increase in the minimum wage and properly progress towards a Living Wage.”