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Yesterday, the ‘super junior’ jobs minister Ged Nash launched the applications process to serve on the Low Pay Commission. This new body’s main task will be to recommend the appropriate rate of the national minimum wage, but the Labour TD explains why it’s time for an increase anyway.
THE COUNTRY IS doing better. Businesses, in the main, are doing better. It’s time that workers too do better and feel the impact of our recovering economy in their pockets.
It has been seven years since the minimum wage was increased in reality. Some 73,000 workers across this nation currently earn €8.65 per hour, according to the CSO.
In 2011, in the last days of the Fianna Fáil-led administration, that government slashed the minimum wage by €1 to €7.65. They would have us believe that this was a job creation measure.
The reality is that this callous cut neither created one more job nor improved the fiscal situation of the country a jot. All it did was make life even harder for those struggling to get by on the minimum wage.
I’m very glad that one of the first acts of this government was to reverse that cut and reinstate a rate of €8.65.
Now, I believe, it is time to examine the National Minimum Wage rate again.
Let me be very clear. I would like to see the National Minimum Wage progressively increase, if the economic circumstances, demands of job creation and social conditions allow. The National Minimum Wage represents the floor beneath which no working person should be allowed to fall.
But, what I do not want is to prevent any company from creating jobs. We are at one in this government in relation to the Jobs Agenda. Creating the conditions for job creation is our most important priority.
Ged Nash spoke to TheJournal.ie about the Low Pay Commission back in September:
It is also important that these are quality jobs that are sustainable with a fair rate of pay. Work should always pay. This forms part of my dignity at work agenda and I believe that the Low Pay Commission is a cornerstone of this.
The Low Pay Commission was an idea of the Tánaiste Joan Burton’s and forms part of the government’s Statement of Priorities.
The Low Pay Commission will be a nine-member body made up of a chairperson, three representatives with a good understanding of the low pay sector, three from employers’ interests preferably from sectors where the minimum wage is relevant and two academics.
They will examine data available from organisations like the CSO and the Department of Finance. But, alongside this hard data I expect them to leave the boardroom and go and consult directly with people who are on the minimum wage or pay the minimum wage.
This real lived experience, I believe, will be vital when it comes to the Commissioners agreeing on an appropriate rate. I expect them as they try to reach a consensus on the rate to recall the first-hand experience of the cornershop owner from Louth or the fast food worker in Limerick.
It will be a challenging task – balancing issues like unemployment and employment rates, the impact of any changes to the minimum wage on employment, the cost of living and competitiveness and changes generally in income distribution.
That is why we are seeking high calibre people to come forward to serve on the Commission.
Anyone who is interested in serving on the Low Pay Commission can do so on this website in line with the government’s new policy on appointments to State Boards.
I expect the first meeting of the new Commission to take place in February, and for them to report back to me with a recommended National Minimum Wage rate later in 2015.
And, it is my intention that if the Commission recommends a new rate, I will implement that swiftly.
Gerald Nash is the Minister for Business and Employment and a Labour TD for Louth
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He’s not wrong. Mind you, if I vote for his party, do I get Renua?
@jamesdecay: no you get sinn fein from 40 years ago
@jamesdecay:
If the last decade has thought us anything it’s that you can’t trust Fine Gael politicians. So many lies and countless calamities since Endas initial campaign election pledge and promise to “to end the scandal of patients on trolleys”
They’re habitual liars with absolutely zero vision for this nation other than to sell off the bits they don’t know how to fix, which is a lot.
@Milk The Drones: FG are ideologically incapable of fixing most of our problems, many of which they created. FF are the other cheek of the same arse.
@jamesdecay: vote renua and we might have a few td’s actually representing the two million workers here. Currently we have zero representation in government!
@Shane Murphy: Renua are a backwards pro-life, xenophobic party like a throwback to the 1950′s. Their candidates can’t even spell, have a browse at any of their Twitter feeds.
@jamesdecay: things could be worse, the shinners could be in power
@jamesdecay: you get the laws of Alabama
@jamesdecay: no,you get Sinn Fein
If you vote Aontú you get Archbishop John McQuaid’s
@Orla Smith: *Ireland.
@Orla Smith: who’s he ? I’m free of all shackles including feminism Catholicism religiosity male chauvinism and especially snowflakes. This country is now full people with zero spines – stand by your principles is a one way street you have to be in the free society brigade to be allowed to even breed
@Martin Brennan: who’s he?
He’s religious pro life peoples idea of a wet dream.
Control over the government by the church.
@Orla Smith: Leo’s mouthpiece have you an original though in that brain of yours. The art of conversation is missing from your vocabulary
@Becky Lynch: *Thought. I see in your profile you are an extreme pro-lifer who is also a Catholic, and you accuse me of lacking original thought, LOL!
@Barry Somers: what a bigoted statement.
@Orla Smith: what’s your point if somebody is a Catholic do you have a problem with that. it’s always Catholic this Catholic that from you ….bit of christophobia come mine from you and its very obvious .
Regressive social policies. Similar to DUP.
@Peter McKevitt: that’s just bollockz
@Aidan Haughey: that’s just the truth
@Peter McKevitt: Not killing babies = “regression” lol
Not a fan of him or his party but it’s true…
Not many people actually believe that FFG are not one. Pat stating the obvious…
Two cheeks
FF the left cheek and FG the right one cos let’s face it Martin and Varadkar are two of the biggest arses in politics. The rest of the parties circle the hole in the middle. Being in close proximity they spout more sh*te than the main two. The Healy-Raes are right in the centre.
@Bhiniáimin Ó Beith: To believe any politician is in the game, for the greater good need to be admitted to an asylum. Party or individual it’s selfish indulgence and the taxpayer Pays for the privilege of watching them Rob us blind.
Oh great another clown party, dont vote for him or his sister absolutely entitled opinion forcing loopers. Do as I say not as I do
@JustOneScoop: wrong he didnt do what sf told him to do
Have to agree they have become one big TORY PARTY
Does this mean that FF and FG still hold their secret meetings in leinster house, the meetings where they collude to keep themselves in power, that nobodys supposed to know about! Peadar should know.
You vote any of the main parties you get the same crap different names, simple
Fianna Fáil opposed repealing the 8th though?
And vice versa
True
He’s right but no way in hell would I vote for his backwards party either!
I believe in Peadar and Aontú. I feel I must trust someone, and he is worthy of it, to me. Most of his critics never heard him speak – his sincerity is palpable. When Aontú starts making gains, then you will have other politicians clamouring to join – that’s what worries me! How worthy will they be?
Just what Ireland needs. Another right wing party!
@Niall Sheridan: Ireland doesn’t have a big right wing party. FFG aren’t right wing. Both pro abortion, both pro gay marriage, both pro immigration – Not right wing.
Is it true that the single elected Aontu councilor in Derry is a former doctor, a feminist, a republican and left of centre? If this is true – then this would seem to be a very strange description for a so called ‘Right Wing Party’!
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