The Labour Court has recommended the minimum wage be increased by 65 cent per hour from May 1st next.
If the recommendation is accepted by the Government the new hourly rate will rise to €7.65 from its current rate of €7.
The Minister of State for Labour Affairs, Mr Tony Killeen, said having received the recommendation, he now had three months to consider the increase.
He said he would take into account the impact the proposed rate may have on "employment, the overall economic conditions in the State and national competitiveness."
The minimum wage was introduced in Ireland in April 2000 at a rate of £4.40 (€5.59) per hour. Since then there have been three increases to the rate, the last of which saw it increase to its current rate of €7.00 per hour from 1 February 2004.
Employers can only pay below the minimun wage where the employee is under the age of 18, within the first two years after the date of first employment over the age of 18, or to those undergoing a course of training.
Employees under the age of 18 are entitled to 70 per cent of the minimum wage.