With other Opposition Deputies I was very disappointed that my priority question on this matter was ruled out of order. When I spoke earlier I made strong remarks about the questions office staff and said that I felt they had misunderstood the issue. I now withdraw those remarks. Like all Deputies I find the staff of the Houses extremely helpful and supportive and many of them have become my friends.
However, although the report is dated October 1998, the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment in a previous question said she would publish it. We had no chance to read the document before today's Question Time and to ask the Tánaiste to comment. I was justified, therefore, in raising the question.
The issue of the delay in the introduction of a national minimum wage remains unresolved and is of deep concern. The Labour Party and I strongly support the campaign of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions and the Dublin Council of Trade Unions to have the national minimum wage implemented as soon as possible. I ask the Minister why this demand, articulated yesterday by the secretary if the ICTU, Mr. Peter Cassells, cannot be accepted. The Government could introduce a national minimum wage at 75 per cent of median earnings immediately. Nothing I have read in this report would prevent this measure being introduced in the spring of 1999 at the latest if the Government wished. The basis of the legislation is laid down. I could introduce a Bill to this effect based, for example, on the British Bill and it could be implemented after Christmas.
Yesterday, the Minister for Finance introduced major tax cuts for companies while our low-paid employees receive no such bounty or protection. The scandal of low pay remains throughout the economy. A survey conducted by third level students in Dublin found the following rates of pay: secretary, £3.50 per hour; waiting staff, £2.50 per hour; restaurant staff, £3.90 per hour; shop assistants, £3.46 an hour, forecourt attendants, £3 an hour, factory workers in a meat factory in Kildare, £4 an hour, shop staff in a petrol station, £4.25 an hour, factory work in a chocolate factory in East Wall, £4 an hour, shop assistants in a shop in Santry, £3.50 an hour, and so on. I have lists of jobs in my possession and I will not embarrass the entrepreneurs and businesses concerned by reading their names into the record. As recently as a few months ago scandalous rates of £2 to £2.50 were being paid in a number of restaurants.
The Minister of State, Deputy Treacy, and his colleagues gave a commitment in the general election that they would emulate the Labour Government in the UK and introduce a national minimum wage. The Minister of State said he was a year in power. In fact, the Government has been in power for a year and a half and we are still waiting. I fear the real strategy is to retain this issue as a topic of debate over the next few years by which stage the Government could be out of office. In that case it would be the responsibility of the Labour Party and others coming into office to implement the national minimum wage. Perhaps the Minister of State had some intention of introducing it but the Tánaiste, Deputy Harney, and the Progressive Democrats definitely did not and that is the major issue.
I do not accept the timetable of this interim report. It is unnecessary to wait until next spring for legislation and then have a further 18 months of preparation for the introduction of the minimum wage. I appeal to the Minister of State to introduce the legislation and implement the minimum wage.