The Principal Act is amended by the insertion of the following section after section 10C:

"10D.

(1) Within 3 months of the date of receipt of a recommendation and report submitted to him or her under section 10C(2) and having considered the report and recommendation and having had regard to section 10C(3), the Minister shall -

(a) by order declare a national minimum hourly rate of pay -

(i) in the terms recommended by the Commission, or

(ii) in other terms,

or

(b) decline to make such an order.

(2) Where the Minister -

(a) by order declares a national minimum hourly rate of pay in terms other than terms recommended by the Commission, or

(b) declines to make an order declaring a national minimum hourly rate of pay,

the Minister shall prepare and lay before both Houses of the Oireachtas a statement of his or her reasons for so doing.

(3) The national minimum hourly rate of pay declared by order under this section may include an allowance in respect of board and lodgings, board only or lodgings only at such rates as are specified in the order.