Paying young people a lower minimum wage is “blatant discrimination and exploitation”, People Before Profit has argued. 

The national minimum wage is currently €14.15 per hour for most people. 

However, employers need only pay anyone under 18 €9.91 an hour; the minimum wage for 18 year olds is €11.32, for 19 year olds it is €12.74. 

On The Claire Byrne Show, ISME spokesperson John Barry said many employers are “experiencing severe and significant increases in costs”. 

“In case of small employers, young people are generally passing through the company rather than permanently with the company,” he explained. 

“They are cheaper at that time, but they're also learning for the first time. 

“Many of them will be there first-time real jobs and they're having to understand and work in the workforce and be trained up in whatever area they're in. 

“As opposed to a situation where older people are employed who are more experienced, but are looking for more money.” 

A young barman. Picture by: Brian Lawless/PA Wire/PA Images.

Also on the programme, People Before Profit’s Paul Murphy argued that young people are not exempt from the impact of the cost of living crisis. 

“If you're 17 years old, you don't get to pay 70% of the cost of petrol,” he said. 

“If you're 18, you don't get to pay 80% of your rent, if you're 19, you don't get to pay 90% of your grocery bills.

“And yet, we're expecting young people to survive on 70%, 80% or 90% of the minimum wage. 

“So, we have a national minimum wage in this country of €14.15 an hour, which is not enough for people to really live on.” 

Deputy Murphy described this “blatant discrimination and exploitation” which most European countries have banned. 

“The Low Pay Commission did report, based on extensive ESRI research, in June 2024, and unanimously recommended getting rid of these sub-minimum wage rates,” Deputy Murphy added. 

“And yet the government just last year said, actually, despite the vote of the Dáil, despite the position of the Low Pay Commission, we're not even going to consider this until 2029.

“Why? Because we're more concerned about the profits of businesses. 

“They're pretty explicit about that and the idea that young workers should pay the price for a cost of living crisis, which is affecting everybody, it's simply unfair.”

Main image: A young barman. Picture by: Alamy.com.