Jobs minister hoping to raise minimum wage to €11.50 an hour

Junior jobs minister John Halligan is calling on the government to increase the minimum wage €11.50 an hour over the next two years.

That goes well beyond the promises of the government to raise the living wage to €10.50 an hour over a period of five years, and an increase to €11.50 would represent a 25% hike. Halligan, an Independent TD from Waterford, has even suggested that it could be higher than €11.50.

"They should aim to do it and certainly aim to do it over a period of maybe a couple of years", said Halligan. He told the Sunday Business Post that the government should "come away from this minimum wage. A living wage for everyone, €11.50, I think, would be reasonable. Probably a little more, I would think."

Employers' group Ibec have slammed the minister's comments, saying that they are unhelpful and that expectations are being created that are unrealistic.