It's amazing the coyness that creeps over Ireland's premier supermarket chains when it comes to disclosing the rates they pay to part-time workers. After a number of phone calls, it emerged that Superquinn could not even disclose if it was "comfortable" with telling E&L the rates.

But, one mother was more than comfortable. Her son works on Saturdays for Superquinn at "appalling rates" - he earns less than £20 for nine hours' work. The rate for bag-packing: £2.18 an hour. However, the mother did say he got a very good training.

A Tesco spokeswoman said the company paid different rates to part-time workers depending on experience, hours worked, age, type of work and the length of time with the company. There are no typical rates.

"We ask our staff managers to sit down with students and make sure they can juggle the work and study time. We have an open door policy so that people don't feel under pressure to work certain days or hours."

Dunnes Stores simply did not return our phone calls, but a mother was able to tell E&L that her son is paid £4.21 an hour for stacking fruit and veg. He has to work "horrendous hours" - a minimum of 15 or 16 hours a week.

Full marks to a much more upfront McDonalds which readily quoted a minimum hourly rate of £3.61 rising, after one year's experience to £4.06 an hour. These rates are for directly-owned restaurants rather than licensees. The longest shift that is offered is nine hours, while people under 18 are not allowed to work after 10 p.m.

A study by the Association of Principals of Vocational and Community Colleges found that half of the second-level students surveyed were paid £2 an hour or less. A further one-third were paid £3 an hour with only 7.8 per cent earning £5 or more.