The Chairman of Louth County Council has apologised for saying that unskilled migrant workers should not necessarily be paid the same as their Irish counterparts.
In a statement, Cllr Jimmy Mulroy said this evening that he does not support the notion of different rates of pay between Irish and non-Irish workers.
'If any other interpretation was construed from my comments, I am deeply sorry,' the Fianna Fáil councillor said.
'I was simply trying to make the point that employees, regardless of nationality, should expect to receive a wage that is equal with their experience and qualifications.'
He went on to say that nationality should never have been brought into the equation.
Cllr Mulroy said as an employer he fully respected the contribution foreign nationals made to Ireland's economy and society.
He fully supported the motion at the council meeting which called for equal treatment for all workers.
'As Chairman of the County Council I hold a position of local responsibility. If my remarks caused offence or have taken from the position to which I am elected, I am deeply sorry,' he concluded.
