The cost-of-living crisis is putting significant pressure on workers and families. Bills are rising, rents are soaring and wages are simply not keeping pace. While employment figures are often hailed as good news, they only tell part of the story, because behind those headline numbers is a reality this Government refuses to face. One quarter of jobs in Ireland are considered poor quality, characterised by low pay, insecurity and poor working conditions. That is not a success; that is a failure of political choices, and workers know that. That is why 44% of workers in Ireland who are not currently in a union say they would like to join one. They understand that collective strength is the only real protection against exploitation. Trade union membership has for many years been proven to deliver better pay, better conditions and dignity at work. Let me bring this beyond statistics, though, to what it means for real lives. I have been contacted by carers in County Clare struggling with the cost of living. County Clare is predominantly rural, so one carer, Jean, travels 44 km between one client and the next. She has no choice but to put fuel in her car, or her clients will be without care. Yet Jean is now at the point where she can barely afford to go to work, never mind work, and she is living pay cheque to pay cheque. Others have told me they are having to borrow money during the week just to make it to their next payday. This is not just difficult; it is completely unsustainable. It means that if something goes wrong, such as a much-needed car breaks down or medical issues arise, there is no safety net, no contingency fund, and this is the reality for far too many workers. In fact, workers are worse off today than they were at the start of 2022, and were forgotten about in the last budget by the Minister’s Government. We see the same pattern when we look at apprentices. We are being told by apprentices themselves that the supports available to them are not fit for purpose. I have met many apprentices and through our work on the relevant committee we have heard consistently that being paid well below the minimum wage acts as a barrier to participation. It pushes people out. Apprentices are leaving their training to take up better-paid jobs just to survive, or they are leaving the country, their home, altogether for a better life elsewhere. At the very same time, we are told we need more apprentices in construction. The situation simply does not add up. The Connect trade union has rightly described the situation as poverty pay. I am asking whose side the Government is on. Sinn Féin stands firmly on the side of workers. In case the Minister asks about the North, Caoimhe Archibald is introducing a good jobs employment rights Bill to significantly enhance workers’ rights. We believe work must pay and that nobody who goes out to earn a living should be forced into hardship. Workers built this economy and sustain it every day. It is time they are treated with the respect and protection they deserve.

Sentiment score: -0.05