National Minimum Wage

Dáil Éireann Debate, Friday - 16 September 2016

Friday, 16 September 2016

Questions (1875)

David Cullinane

Question:

1875. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if she has received information from any source that employers have slashed workers' hours as a direct result of the increase in the minimum wage by 50 cent to €9.15; if she has been informed of this; if she was provided with evidence that employers slashed workers' hours as a direct result of the increase in the minimum wage by 50 cent to €9.15; if she was provided with this evidence, if she will make this evidence public; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25060/16]

Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation

I received the Second Report of the Low Pay Commission on the appropriate rate of the National Minimum Wage on the 19th of July 2016. The Commission indicated in its Report that sufficient data was not yet available to assess the impact of the increase of 50 cents per hour in the minimum wage from 1 January last, in terms of employment or on hours worked.

The Commission’s Report includes two minority statements from three members of the Commission. One of these statements indicates that during the course of the Commission’s work, several submissions made to it – both verbal and written – had raised the issue of the workers hours being reduced by employers as a result of the increase in the minimum wage.

The Commission’s Report (which includes the minority statements) and the written submissions received by the Commission are available to view on the Low Pay Commission website, www.lowpaycommission.ie.