Labour Party T.D. for Dublin North-West

Promoting the Labour Party values of Freedom, Community, Equality and Democracy

Thursday, June 23, 2011

Sinn Fein opposition to reversing minimum wage cut, a cynical exercise

Sinn Fein's decision to vote against measures to restore the minimum wage, suggests they care more about political grandstanding than they do about the incomes of those on low wages.
As a Labour TD, I am proud of the fact that last week, we delivered on one of our key pre-election pledges to reverse the €1 cut in the minimum wage, a cut introduced by the previous Fianna Fail led government.

The Social Welfare and Pensions Bill, which was brought through all stages in the Dail by Minister Joan Burton, has at its heart the restoration of the minimum wage to €8.65 per hour.

It is most disappointing that despite setting themselves up as champions of the disadvantaged, Sinn Fein has opposed this Bill. Many vulnerable workers rely on the minimum wage to protect them against exploitation and we are pleased that one of our first actions in government has been to reverse this shameful cut.

The position adopted by Sinn Fein can only be seen as cynical in the extreme and they are clearly more interested in playing party politics rather than standing up for the interests of ordinary workers who stand to benefit from the passage of this Bill. 

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