Minister Regina Doherty receives the Low Pay Commission’s Recommendation on the National Minimum Wage
From Department of Social Protection
Published on
Last updated on
From Department of Social Protection
Published on
Last updated on
In its report submitted to the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection, Regina Doherty TD, the Low Pay Commission sets out the range of data it has considered in recommending the rate for the National Minimum Wage for 2019. The Commission also consulted widely, receiving submissions from interested parties and meeting directly with workers on the minimum wage and employers in relevant economic sectors.
Minister Doherty has welcomed the Low Pay Commission’s report stating, “I am delighted to receive my first Low Pay Commission recommendation on the national minimum wage as the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection. This is the first year that the LPC has reached unanimous agreement on the rate of the national minimum wage, and I welcome this unanimity.”
Minister Doherty welcomed the detailed analysis involved in producing the 2018 report, which highlighted strong growth in the economy and the fact that growth has now spread across the country as a whole. She noted also the Commission’s reference to the uncertainty regarding the outcome of the Brexit negotiations, and the potential impact that any eventual decisions in that regard might have on the Irish economy.
Minister Doherty said “I brought the report and recommendations of the Low Pay Commission to my colleagues in Government earlier today. Over the coming weeks my colleagues and I will be considering it carefully in the context of planning for Budget 2019. The report recommends changes to employer PRSI and measures to enhance compliance, and these aspects also require examination.”
The Minister also took the opportunity, as the first term in office of the Commission comes to a close, to thank the members for their valuable work on the Commission over the last three years.
The Chairman of the Commission, Dr Donal de Buitléir, said “I was particularly pleased for this fourth report of the Commission that there was a full consensus amongst the members on our recommendations, and that the rate for the National Minimum Wage was unanimously recommended. This year too, we had a strong engagement through our consultation process with individuals working minimum wage jobs, as well as representative groups, and I thank all those who generously gave of their time and contributed to the process.”
Notes for Editor
The Low Pay Commission Report is available here.
The membership of the Low Pay Commission is:
The Commissioners examined a range of social, economic and labour market issues in considering the appropriate rate of the national minimum wage, including:
In its conclusions the Commission notes the following issues in particular: