Murphy calls for end to ‘legalised discrimination and hyper-exploitation’ of young workers

An Economic & Social Research Institute (ESRI) report published today has found increasing use by businesses of sub-minimum wage rates for young workers.

The ESRI found that in 2019 less than 20 percent of workers under 20 years of age were paid a sub-minimum youth wage, but this increased to 30 percent in 2025.

Currently, 17, 18 and 19 year old workers can legally be paid just 70%, 80% or 90% of the minimum wage, respectively.

People Before Profit TD Paul Murphy criticised this as discrimination and hyper-exploitation of young workers.

He called for the Government to enact People Before Profit’s National Minimum Wage (Equal Pay for Young Workers) Bill 2022 to end this age discrimination as quickly as possible.

“A report published today by the ESRI found that businesses are employing more and more young workers at sub-minimum wage rates,” he said.

The ESRI found that 30 percent of young workers were paid sub-minimum wage rates in 2025.

“This is up sharply from under 20 percent in 2019.

“Currently the law allows businesses to pay young workers as little as 70% of the minimum wage.

“This can only be described as blatant discrimination against workers under the age of 20.

“It’s clear that more businesses are using this legalised discrimination and hyper-exploitation of young workers by paying them below the minimum wage, a wage that is already much too low to live on.

“In 2022, People Before Profit introduced the National Minimum Wage (Equal Pay for Young Workers) Bill.

“Our Bill proposed to amend the National Minimum Wage Act 2000 to remove the discriminatory sub-minimum wage rates imposed on those employed between the ages of 16 and 20.

“All workers should get at least the minimum wage.

“Our Bill passed Second Stage in the Dáil almost three years ago, but the Government has not enabled it to progress through the remaining stages necessary to make it law.

“The Government should stop enabling businesses to engage in age discrimination and should work with People Before Profit and the opposition to progress our National Minimum Wage (Equal Pay for Young Workers) Bill 2022 into law as quickly as possible.”