- Workers deserve a raise – PBP call for an increase in minimum wage ahead of Dail debate this week
- “The current minimum wage is a poverty wage which barely covers rent”
- Party pushes for Ireland to move to a €15 minimum wage
Responding to comments from the director of the ESRI that the minimum wage is now “back in the spotlight” the People Before Profit Employment Rights spokesperson, Paul Murphy TD, has said there is an urgent need for a significant increase in the minimum wage.
“The average rent in Ireland is €1,516, but a full-time worker on the minimum wage only earns €1774.50 before tax and USC. Even with house-sharing and overtime, the sums simply don’t add up at the end of the month. The reality is the minimum wage is a poverty wage, keeping people well below the poverty line.”
The Dail this week will debate a Solidarity-People Before Profit motion to increase the minimum wage, tabled by Mick Barry TD. Welcoming the motion, Deputy Murphy said:
“This motion is about raising wages for all workers. Increasing the minimum wage helps others to put in pay claims for proper inflation-busting raises too.
“The Living Wage Technical Group estimate that workers need at least €12.90 an hour to achieve even a minimum acceptable standard of living. There is no reason why workers should be forced to work for less in this day and age. In reality, we should be aiming higher, to a €15 an hour minimum wage for workers, to end working poverty.”
ENDS
Comments from ESRI director: https://www.independent.ie/news/minimum-wage-back-in-the-spotlight-as-prices-crisis-intensifies-esri-director-41320843.html
Motion sponsored by Solidarity – People Before Profit TDs: https://dailbusiness.oir.ie/motions/418?lang=en
The average rent at €1,516 is from Q3 2021 Daft.ie report: https://ww1.daft.ie/report/2021-Q3-rental-daftreport.pdf?d_rd=1 Note breakdown on page 10 of the prices of a 1 bed apartment in Dublin which also vary depending on area but around roughly around that same average (from €1,425 in Dublin 22 to €1,822 in Dublin 4).
Minimum wage monthly rate calculated based on €10.50 minimum wage * 39 hours a week, 52 weeks of the year, divided by 12.
