Minimum wage rise ‘threatens’ SMEs

Raising the national minimum wage, at this time, would threaten the country’s small business community, a leading representative body has warned.

Ahead of the Low Pay Commission’s latest recommendations being made to Government, the Ibec-affiliated Small Firms Association (SFA) has said the focus must be on increasing competitiveness, with the recent Brexit vote highlighting the need to control costs.

The Government is expected to review a recommendation from the LPC to increase the rate from €9.50 per hour to nearly €10, tomorrow. The Programme for Government contained a commitment to raise the minimum wage to €10.50 by 2021.