Ireland South candidate calls on government to end sub-minimum wage rates for young people

Ireland South candidate, Labour's Niamh Hourihan has called on the government to end sub-minimum wage rates for young people.

The national minimum wage is €12.70 per hour.

However, the law allows for under-18s to be paid 70% of this (€8.89), 18-year-olds to earn 80% (€ 10.16), and 19-year-olds to get 90% of the national minimum wage (€11.43).

Ms Hourihan claims this is wage discrimination and wants the government to end the loophole.

She also believes the Irish government must "stop turning a blind eye to the culture of unpaid internships", which were outlawed by the EU last June.