Government to vote against minimum wage Bill
Government to vote against minimum wage Bill - The Labour Party
- Labour’s National Minimum Wage (Inclusion of Young Persons, Apprentices and Interns) Bill 2025 to be introduced in the Seanad tomorrow
- Bill would end sub-minimum wage rates and ensure apprentices and interns receive at least the minimum wage
Labour’s workers’ rights spokesperson Senator Nessa Cosgrove will tomorrow introduce Labour’s National Minimum Wage (Inclusion of Young Persons, Apprentices and Interns) Bill 2025 in the Seanad, which it is understood the Government parties will oppose. This is despite the clear and growing evidence that young workers, apprentices and interns are being exploited through sub-minimum wage rates. Senator Cosgrove has called on all parties and Independents to back the legislation.
Senator Cosgrove said:
“Young people and apprentices have been treated appallingly by successive Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil Governments. It is utterly antiquated, outdated and grossly unfair that so many young workers are excluded from the full minimum wage, despite often doing exactly the same work as colleagues aged 20 and over.
“We now understand that the Government does not intend to support this Bill in the Seanad. That is a deeply disappointing position and it speaks volumes about how out of touch Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil remain with the lived reality of young workers, apprentices and interns.
“Since 1 January 2025, the national minimum wage stands at €13.50 per hour. Yet young people continue to face blatant discrimination. Anyone under 18 can be paid just 70% of that rate, or €9.45 an hour. Eighteen year olds can legally be paid as little as €10.80, while 19 year olds can be paid €12.15. That is not fairness. It is discrimination written into law.”
Sub-minimum wage
“Labour has long campaigned to scrap these sub-minimum wage rates. In 2022, there were almost 95,000 people aged between 15 and 19 in the workplace. Many of these young people rely on their wages to survive, whether contributing to family income or living independently.
“The idea that young workers’ earnings are merely pocket money reflects a deeply outdated and patriarchal attitude that is completely disconnected from reality. This enduring discrimination tells young people that their time and labour are worth less, and that their contribution does not matter. That mindset has no place in a modern economy.”
Apprentices
“If we are serious about solving the housing crisis, we must make construction a viable and attractive career. That means stability, decent pay and proper conditions. This Government has failed abysmally on all three.
“There has been a 20% dropout rate among apprentices over a three-year period. That is a shocking figure and it shows a system in crisis. Apprentices consistently tell us that low pay is the main reason they leave. In 2025, it is unacceptable that an apprentice can earn as little as €7.16 an hour while employers across the country are crying out for skilled tradespeople.
“These conditions are actively driving people away from construction and skilled trades. Labour’s Bill seeks to address this by extending National Minimum Wage protections to apprentices and ensuring their work is properly valued.”
Internships
“Internships can be valuable and meaningful experiences. They help young people gain access to workplaces, build skills and develop professional networks. But while interns are learning on the job, they also contribute real value and that work must be fairly paid.
“Unpaid or underpaid internships create a deeply unequal system where only those with financial backing can afford to participate. Labour’s Bill will extend National Minimum Wage legislation to include interns, providing clear protections and standards for those starting out in their careers.
“This Bill will be supported by representatives from ICTU, the FSU, Connect Trade Union and AMLE, all of whom recognise that the age pay gap must end. Tomorrow, the Seanad has a clear choice. I am calling on all parties to support this Bill and end age-based pay discrimination, or to side with a system that continues to short-change young people across our workforce.”