{
  "id": 8791256,
  "title": "Low pay 'endemic' in Ireland's labour market - report",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/20/low-pay-endemic-in-irelands-labour-market-report",
  "topic": "business",
  "section": "Business",
  "published": "2026-09-20T23:01:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "RTE News",
    "slug": "rte-news",
    "url": "https://www.rte.ie/news/business/2026/0921/1592267-business-pay-ireland/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "A recent report reveals that a significant portion of workers in Ireland's labor market struggle with low pay. According to research led by University College Dublin, one in three workers earn less than a living wage, making it difficult to make ends meet. The \"Working Life on Low Pay\" report found that over 30% of full-time employees earn less than what the real living wage would provide, with the percentage ranging from 13% to 32% depending on the threshold used.\n\nLow pay isn't solely determined by the hourly rate; it's also influenced by the number of hours worked. While seven in ten low-paid workers earn above the national minimum wage per hour, they're considered low-paid because they work fewer hours each week. More than half of the low-paid workers are part-time employees, and over three-quarters of those working 17 to 24 hours a week are low-paid.\n\nThe report highlights that women are particularly affected, with nearly one in three women being low-paid compared to 17% of men. Additionally, 59% of low-paid workers are under 25, and around half are over 65. The retail, hospitality, and healthcare sectors contribute to more than half of the low-paid workforce.\n\nThe border region experiences the highest rate of low pay. The report also indicates that low-paid jobs often lack quality, with few opportunities for training and development, long hours, verbal abuse, and difficulty making ends meet. Dr. Lisa Wilson, a Senior Economist at NERI, supports the government's commitment to raising the minimum wage towards a living wage. However, she emphasizes that most low-paid workers in Ireland are not on the minimum wage but work long hours that don't equate to a living wage in their jobs. To improve their situation, the focus should be on addressing broader job conditions, not just the minimum wage.",
  "summary": "One in three workers earn less than a living wage and struggle to make ends meet, according to new research led by University College Dublin.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}