Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 26 April 2022
189. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the number of persons employed by his Department and bodies under the aegis of his Department with a rate of pay below the living wage of €12.30; the role that those persons occupy within his Department or relevant body; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19626/22]
View answerThe Government has been clear in our belief that a legacy of the pandemic must be better pay, terms and conditions for everyone, particularly for those on low pay. We are committed, therefore, to progressing to a living wage over the lifetime of this Government.
Currently there is no official living wage in Ireland. The Living Wage Technical Group, which comprises members including Vincentian Partnership for Social Justice, TASC, NERI and SIPTU calculates a living wage by estimating the cost of a basic basket of goods, services and expenses required to maintain a “minimum essential living standard”.
Last year, I asked the Low Pay Commission to examine and make recommendations on the best approach to achieving the Programme for Government commitment to progress to a living wage over the lifetime of the Government.
The Low Pay Commission recently submitted its report on the living wage. Along with my officials, I will review the Commission’s report and recommendations. I will also consider the next steps required in the progression to a living wage, such as the publication of the Commission’s report and the accompanying research report, and consultation on the implementation of the Commission’s recommendations.
The National Minimum Wage is a statutory entitlement and has a legislative basis. The Low Pay Commission annually assesses the appropriate level of the National Minimum Wage. The current national minimum hourly rate of pay, since 1 January 2022, is €10.50.
Remuneration for staff employed by my Department and its Offices is essentially set by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform in line with Government policy.
Based on the Civil Service 37-hour standard net working week, an hourly wage of €12.30 essentially equates to an annual salary of €23,747.
There are currently 3 permanent staff of the Department and its Offices on a wage of less than €12.30 per hour based on the latest payroll of April 2022. This is made up of three Services Attendants on the first point of the Services Attendant salary scale. It should be noted that the maximum point on the incremental scales for these staff is above the hourly suggested rate of €12.30, over time and based on satisfactory performance, each staff member in these grades would proceed to earn more than the living wage through incremental progression. Additionally, those currently identified on basic annual salary of less than €23,747 could be receiving remuneration in excess of this figure through additional payments in respect of specific allowances particular to the grade or atypical working hours.
In terms of the Agencies of my Department, details are set out in the table below;
|
Agency |
Number of persons earning below €12.30 per hour |
Role of persons earning below €12.30 per hour |
|
Enterprise Ireland * |
10 |
Executive Assistant |
|
Health and Safety Authority |
0 |
N/a |
|
Irish Auditing and Accounting Supervisory Authority (IAASA) |
0 |
N/a |
|
Personal Injuries Assessment Board (PIAB) |
0 |
N/a |
|
IDA Ireland |
7 |
Project Executive Assistants (Level B) |
|
National Standards Authority of Ireland (NSAI) |
0 |
N/a |
|
Intertrade Ireland (ITI) |
|
|
|
CCPC |
0 |
N/a |
*Enterprise Ireland has 10 employees who are currently on a rate of pay equivalent to less than €12.30 per hour. Enterprise Ireland’s current sanctioned Level B salary scale (which has relativity with the Civil Service Clerical Officer grade) has a minimum point of €22,049. This is €1,698 lower than the annual equivalent of the standard 37 hour week at €12.30 per hour. For employees recruited on this grade, they reach the equivalent of the annualised €12.30 per hour rate after they have received their first annual increment.
