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Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 10 May 2000

Vol. 518 No. 6

Written Answers. - National Minimum Wage.

Róisín Shortall

Question:

133 Ms Shortall asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if she will provide a breakdown per sector of the estimated number or percentage of workers directly affected by the introduction of the national minimum wage. [12870/00]

The National Minimum Wage Act, 2000 became law on 1 April and it was estimated that 163,000 employees would benefit from the Act.

The final report of the Inter-Departmental Group on Implementation of a National Minimum Wage, dated May 1999, contains a study, undertaken by the ESRI, of the likely impact of the national minimum wage on employment, competitiveness, and inflation.
Table 2.6 from the ESRI study details the estimated percentage of employees directly affected by the introduction of the national minimum wage in different sectors of the economy and I am circulating that table as part of this reply.
Table 2.6: Numbers Affected by Minimum Wage in 2000 by Broad Industrial Sector, Estimated from 1997 Living in Ireland Survey

% in sector below £4.40 (£3.08) in 2000

Agriculture, forestry and fishing

58.3

Building and construction

14.3

Other production industries

10.1

Wholesale

12.4

Retail

27.8

Insurance, finance etc.

1.0

Transport, etc.

4.0

Professional services

10.1

Teaching

6.8

Health

11.1

Public administration and defence

1.1

Personal services

43.5

Others

17.0

All

13.6

John Gormley

Question:

134 Mr. Gormley asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if the minimum wage applies to apprentices; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13019/00]

The National Minimum Wage Act, 2000 became law on 1 April and it was estimated that 163,000 employees would benefit from the Act.

The Act does not apply to an apprentice within the meaning of or under the Industrial Training Act, 1967, or the Labour Services Act, 1987. The apprenticeships concerned are set out in the Labour Services Act, 1987 – Apprenticeship Rules, 1997 (SI No. 168 of 1997).

The classes of apprentices listed under SI No. 168 of 1997 are: carton maker, printer, originator, bookbinder, bricklayer, plasterer, painter-decorator, vehicle body repairer, agricultural mechanic, aircraft mechanic, refrigeration craftsperson, sheet metal worker, cabinet maker, wood machinist, plumber, metal fabricator, heavy vehicle mechanic, toolmaker, construction plant fitter, motor mechanic, carpenter-joiner, fitter, electrician, instrumentation craftsperson, and floor-wall tiler.

These apprenticeships lead to craft worker status for the apprentices who complete their apprenticeship.

Other apprentices, such as apprentice hairdressers, who do not fall within the above categories are covered by the Act.

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