Housing is largest factor behind Living Wage hike
Low Pay Commission’s should be given remit by government to reach a real Living Wage
Labour spokesperson on Employment, Senator Ged Nash is calling on the government to act on the recommendation of the Living Wage Technical Group and to set out a roadmap to introduce a Living Wage for Ireland.
Senator Nash said:
“Following the announcement from the Living Wage Technical Group today that the Living Wage in Ireland needs to increase to €11.90 to keep up with the cost of living a result of rising rent, the government must take action to ensure that work pays and that a good standard of living is secured for all people who work hard for a living.
“The Living Wage Technical Group has attributed this rise solely to the cost of housing, particularly rent. Other contributors to the cost of living have reduced by 2018. Housing is now the largest factor in the cost of living and the fact is that this is only going up.
“Now, €11.90 per hour is the Living Wage hourly rate, which is €2.35 an hour more than the rate of the minimum wage.
“Three years on since the establishment of the Low Pay Commission, it is high time that the government changed the riding instructions of the Commission to enable it to work with both sides of industry to set out a roadmap to transform the National Minimum Wage to a real Living Wage for working people.
“Our national minimum wage should be a living wage. Especially if government continue in failing to regulate the rental market through rent controls which could substantially offset the cost of living.”