MINISTER FOR SOCIAL Protection Joan Burton has called for an increase in the minimum wage over the last year of the current government’s term.

In a speech to Labour’s annual Tom Johnson Summer School yesterday evening, the minister said that the State is effectively subdividing low-wage employers with welfare payments given through the Family Income Supplement, The Sunday Times reports.

It has also been suggested that an increase such as this could boost spending in the economy and make it possible for people to afford childcare and therefore get back into the workforce.

Unsurprisingly, this suggestion has been met with criticism from small business representatives who have said that this is not the right time and a rise in the rate could cripple already struggling small firms.

The minimum wage currently stands at €8.65 an hour. Do you think we should increase it?

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