Tanaiste Joan Burton has said she hopes to have a report from the new Low Pay Commission by this summer.

Ms Burton told RTE News this evening that since becoming leader of the Labour Party, her aim has been “to help to get more of our people back to work.”

She said returning to full employment by 2018 could be achieved.

“It’s actually a very realistic target; it’s a very ambitious target. Remember when we took office the county was ion the process of having shed a quarter of a million jobs. In fact the total job losses went over 300,00,” she said.

“Already we have gained back over 80,000 jobs so simply our plan is to regain the vast bulk of jobs we lost. That obviously involves people who are unemployed in Ireland but also I want to be ambitious for the people who left Ireland and want to come home again.

She said it was the “most important job” that whatever recovery there is spread to every family and every individual and to get more people back to work.

Ms Burton said the Low Pay Commission will soon be established to probe pay conditions in Ireland.

“We’re hoping in terms of the Low Pay Commission that will be established very shortly, that will have a report on that sometime around July or the summer time.”

“One of the ways of growing our whole economy is to boost people’s living standards and then they go out and spend a bit more.”

She also said that she hopes to address the issue of worker’s contracts with no guaranteed number of hours.

The minimum wage was reset at €8.65 per hour since she because Labour Leader, Ms Burton said.

“We want people to get back to work but we also want people to have a living wage.”

“It’s very difficult to look after yourself and the family if you have no guaranteed hours.”

Online Editors