Its been revealed that some young people are being paid as little as €6.69 per hour at work.
The sub-minimum rates are being slammed by Sinn Féin.
Senator Paul Gavan says a loophole allows young workers to be exploited by some businesses.
The party's published a Bill to scrap the practice by some employers to pay someone as little as 80% of the National Minimum Wage.
It says it's mainly happening to workers in their 20's, simply because it's their first or second year in employment.
Senator Gavan explains "There are actually rates of pay lower than the actual National Minimum Wage. Effectively for young people, in reality, there are 2 rates of pay below the NMW for people in their first and second year of work experience, and also for people aged under 18. They can be paid as little as €6.69 if they're under 18, or €7.64 or €8.60."
The Senator says around 1 in 20 businesses pay their young employees this amount.
