Concern that minimum wage will be used to reduce other pay deals

A GROUP working to address Ireland’s economic inequalities has expressed concern that the restored national minimum wage will be the new pay floor for low-income workers.

The Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2001, published yesterday, restores the national minimum wage from €7.65 an hour to its previous level of €8.65 from July 1.

Enterprise Minister Richard Bruton announced last April that the Government planned to restore the minimum wage after reaching a revised deal with the EU and IMF.