I welcome the announcement of the increase in the minimum wage. I encourage the Government to accelerate it towards being a living wage. Given the inordinate pressures on SMEs, which are now responsible for employing, with other companies, some 2.5 million people nationwide, I ask that measures specific to SMEs be included in next week's budget to enable them to offset a proportion of the cost of the increase in the minimum wage. While it is important that we have these increases, it is also important that we maintain employment. In acknowledging the inordinate demands on all households and SMEs, we must try to protect jobs. In that regard, I ask that a proportion of the cost of the increase in the minimum wage be allowed to be offset against other outlays.

I will certainly pass the Deputy's reflections on to the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, Deputy Michael McGrath, and the Minister for Finance, Deputy Donohoe. Returning to what I said in response to an earlier question, one of the measures we must introduce in the budget is some sort of support for SME employers because of the energy price increases. This would be done very much with a view to try to avoid job losses. This might be a better way of approaching this issue, rather than the State trying to provide some sort of rebate on the minimum wage, or some other similar mechanism, that would be complex, expensive and might not be delivered in a timely manner. It might be better to do this as part of the wider cost of living supports that we will be delivering in the budget.