Minimum Wage from April 2000 - Harney

"The minimum wage recommended by the Minimum Wage Commission will be introduced from April 2000 as Partnership 2000 runs out", the Tánaiste Mary Harney said in a series of meetings which she held today (Tuesday, 14th July 1998) with the social partners.

The Tánaiste had promised, when the Report of the National Minimum Wage Commission was published, that she would be holding meetings with a broad range of interests to facilitate her consideration of all the issues involved. She told employer and trade union bodies, farming organisations and representatives of the community and voluntary pillar that the minimum wage would be introduced in the context of a successor to Partnership 2000.

"Our aim is to introduce the minimum wage in a manner that ensures there will be no adverse impact on the economy or on employment and which ensures that Ireland can maintain its competitive position. The idea is to introduce a minimum wage to protect vulnerable workers among whom are many women and young persons. Clearly, it is not in anybody's interests to have a minimum wage which puts companies out of business and increases the capacity of the black economy", she said.

She conceded that the national minimum wage might prompt pay claims for workers who were already above it, to reassert present pay differentials. "I fully endorse the recommendation of the Minimum Wage Commission that claims for the restoration of relative pay differentials should not be entertained and support the idea of an agreement between the parties to that effect" she said.