Supermarket chain Aldi has announced it is to give Irish workers a new minimum rate of pay of €11.70 an hour.
This matches the Living Wage rate, recommended by The Living Wage Technical Group.
The current national minimum wage is €9.55 per hour.
Aldi says the move makes them the first to commit to paying staff the living wage rate and makes it "Ireland’s highest paying supermarket".
The supermarket says the new rate will come into effect on February 1st and represents a 20c increase on entry-level pay.
Giles Hurley, group managing director at Aldi Ireland, said: "Our store colleagues are the cornerstone of our business.
"Without their hard work and dedication day in, day out, we would be unable to provide customers with the lowest grocery prices in Ireland.
"We are committed to offering the best pay and benefits in the industry and will continue to do so."
The announcement follows a period of sales growth and store expansion.
Aldi is currently engaged in a three year €100m new store opening programme, while also investing €60m in revamping and refurbishing existing stores nationwide.
