ISME: ICTU's minimum wage claim is 'irresponsible'

ISME have called the application by ICTU for a €1increase in the national minimum wage "mischievous, irresponsible and downright blackguardism", at a time when the country is haemorrhaging jobs and businesses are going to the wall on a daily basis.

Highlighting that Ireland already had the highest minimum wage in Europe, ISME Chief Executive Mark Fielding said: "Small businesses in all sectors are on their knees due to a number of factors, but especially the cost of labour, which has been ratcheted up well beyond our competitors over the last number of years.