Labour Affairs Minister says statutory wages need to be rebalanced

The Minister for Labour Affairs has said the systems setting statutory wages may need to be "rebalanced".

Dara Calleary has raised the prospect of reforming the Joint Labour Committee and Registered Employment Agreements systems to allow individual employers claim an inability to pay.

The Registered Employment Agreements have come in for criticism in recent weeks by groups representing electrical contractors.

Speaking at the McGill Summer School in Glenties, Co. Donegal, Minister Calleary said such a change would contribute to protecting jobs where employers faced severe economic challenges.