Joan Burton Promises To Increase Minimum Wage By €2

Nothing like the murmurs of increased minimum wage to spread Christmas cheer...  Tánaiste Joan Burton has promised to increase the minimum wage by €2 over a four-year phase if the Labour party returns to power. According to the Irish Times, Burton committed to adding 50 cents every year, seeing the wage rise to €11.15 in 2020.

“You need a wage-led recovery, and Fine Gael, their economics people, acknowledge that", the Labour leader told reporters yesterday.

“If we’re going to have a prosperous and thriving Ireland we need people to have a decent level of wages and decent jobs with good terms and conditions.

"Because if we’re going to have a knowledge economy, we’re aiming to ensure that everyone who wants a job is back at work. We’re working very strongly towards that.”

"So, I don’t see any threat in the fact that people would earn a decent wage.”

Minimum wage is set to increase to a rate of €9.15 per hour in the new year following recommendations from the Low Pay Commission earlier in the year.