Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 22 March 2018
292. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection when she plans to publish the report of the Low Pay Commission on the sub-minimum rates of the minimum wage; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13457/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe laws governing the national minimum wage are set down in the National Minimum Wage Act 2000 and the National Minimum Wage (Low Pay Commission) Act 2015. The Acts provide for the setting of a national minimum wage (NMW), which is the minimum hourly rate that may be paid to an employee. They also provide that, in specified circumstances, such as younger workers and trainees, a reduced, sub-minimum rate may be applied. The legislation sets out the percentages to be applied in the case of sub-minima rates.
In December 2017 I received the final report from the Low Pay Commission on the sub-minima rates of the National Minimum Wage (Report on the Sub-Minima Rates of the National Minimum Wage Part 2). In line with legislative requirements, the report was laid before the Houses of the Oireachtas in February 2018. The full report is available on the Low Pay Commission’s website: www.lowpaycommission.ie.
In this report, the Low Pay Commission recommends simplifying the age and experience based sub-minima rates, and abolishing the training sub-minima rates. As I stated in the Dáil on 14 February 2018 at Second Stage of the Employment (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill, I am pleased that the Government agreed my proposal to accept the Low Pay Commission’s recommendations. In this regard, I propose to bring forward on Committee Stage of the Employment (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill an amendment to the Minimum Wage Act 2000.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
