The findings of a new study on the minimum wage must inform Government employment policy and tip the balance in favour of low-paid workers, according to Social Democrats TD Sinéad Gibney.
Deputy Gibney, who is the party’s spokesperson on enterprise and employment, said:
“It is very significant that a study from the Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI) has found that recent increases to the minimum wage did not lead to low-paid workers losing their jobs.
“This shows that insisting on proper pay and conditions for workers is not a threat to employment levels – a warning we often hear from businesses anytime there is talk of increasing the minimum wage.
“It further proves that the Government was wrong to delay the planned introduction of a living wage this year by kicking it down the road to 2029 – a decision it must now reconsider based on the findings of this study.
“It’s clear from this research, which was funded by the Low Pay Commission, that we can have jobs that pay decent wages without collapsing our labour market. The old refrain of the need to balance workers’ right with business needs rings increasingly hollow when our current system is so unbalanced.
“The ESRI report also suggests that employers may be increasingly using sub-minimum wage rates for young people aged under 20 to keep labour costs down. This is another area in need of urgent reform that the Government continues to drag its heels on.
“The findings of this report must now inform Government policy to ensure the accelerated delivery of the living wage and an end to discriminatory lower pay rates for younger workers.”
March 31, 2026