Living wage and in-work poverty
John Brady asked whether the Government would introduce a living wage Bill and stop subsidising low pay through working family supports. The Taoiseach said Ireland already had a high minimum wage, was awaiting the Low Pay Commission, and argued the headline poverty figures cited included people merely at risk of poverty.
The Taoiseach has constantly said that work is the best route out of poverty. However, Social Justice Ireland-----
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-----informs us that more than 109,000 people, who get up early in the morning and go to work, live in poverty. We also know that in 2018-----
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-----the State paid out more than €431 million in family income supplement and working family payments. That is being used, by and large, to subsidise the wage bills of some of the largest companies in the State that generate significant profits.
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Will the Taoiseach introduce a living wage Bill? Will the Government help lift workers out of poverty and stop subsidising some of the most profitable companies in the State through the working family payment-----
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-----and ensure that they pay their way and workers are lifted out of poverty?
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As I mentioned to Deputy Brady's party leader earlier, we already have the second highest minimum wage in the world. We are waiting for the Low Pay Commission to report on whether it should be increased for next year. Work is the best way out of poverty. We have an in-work poverty rate in Ireland of about 2%. It is one of the lowest in the European Union. The figure of 109,000 to which the Deputy refers includes those at risk of poverty, which means-----