Sinn Féin TD Maurice Quinlivan has called on any attempts to freeze the current minimum wage to be resisted by the incoming government.

The Sinn Féin spokesperson on workers rights and pay equality was responding to such a suggestion put forward by the Small Firms Association over the weekend.

Speaking today, Teachta Quinlivan said: “We appreciate it will be a herculean task to get the economy back on track after this pandemic has passed. But low paid workers must not become collateral damage in this effort.

“Frankly I find it disgraceful that at the same time hospital porters, shop assistants, warehouse workers and cleaners are all staying on the frontline to keep essential services going, that some people are already talking about freezing their wages for the next three years.

“You can’t be out clapping and thanking these workers one day and then turn around the next and say that they don’t deserve a proper wage that will allow them to live a decent life. It’s hypocrisy at its worst.

“The Small Firms Association has got this one completely wrong and Sinn Féin will resist any such attempts to freeze the minimum wage in the coming years.

“Workers need proper pay and conditions, not more of the same low pay, insecure hour jobs that have resulted in so many living on the breadline.

“Sinn Féin have committed to introducing a living wage for workers, with appropriate safeguards in place for financially vulnerable businesses.”