The government has been handed its first defeat of the new Dáil term.

It was heavily defeated by 58 votes to 78, in a countermotion during a debate on workers’ rights.

TDs instead passed a Labour motion calling for the minimum wage to be increased, and an end to so-called ‘if and when’ contracts.

Labour’s Joan Burton said a clear statement on workers rights would be a sign of ‘new politics’.

“It would be really sad if as a people we in Ireland failed to learn from the near-death experience of eight years ago.

“That’s why I’m urging the parties in this chamber to really do the new politics and support the concrete set of proposals by the Labour party to improve the lives of working people.”