The national minimum wage was introduced in Ireland on 1 April 2000. At its introduction, the national minimum hourly rate of pay was set at £4.40, €5.59, per hour, which was the minimum rate to be paid to an experienced adult worker. Two increases to this rate were agreed by the social partners and accepted by Government as part of the Programme for Prosperity and Fairness. The first of these increased the rate to £4.70, €5.97, per hour and was effective from 1 July 2001 and the second came into effect on 1 October 2002 increasing the rate to £5.00, €6.35, per hour. All employees aged 18 and over are entitled to be paid by their employer the national minimum hourly rate of pay in respect of the employee's working hours in any pay reference period, unless a sub-minimum rate of the national minimum hourly rate of pay applies in respect of that employee.
The following three tables show the rates which have applied since the introduction of the national minimum wage:
Table 1
Rates effective from 1 April, 2000