Kevin Humphreys (Labour) | Oireachtas source

I thank the ICTU deputation for a short, sweet and to-the-point presentation. I am starting to see the system of work permits being used to depress salaries and wages. I seek the opinion of ICTU on the pilot scheme for work permits, which is primarily targeted at the meat industry. A total of 800 work permits had been issued for the industry this year as at 5 October. These were mainly for boners who are paid €22,000 per year or €10.35 per hour. I have some concerns in this regard. Currently, employers are advertising on national websites for the same jobs but are including criteria related to accommodation and language skills. There is no clear indication in respect of these positions about who pays for the language skills courses and the accommodation. Is someone coming here from Brazil simply given a link to daft.ie? The problem is with enforcement. The visa is tied to the employer. In many ways, the arrangement is similar to that of an indentured servant. Someone who complains will lose his or her job and, therefore, the visa. We are developing a problem, especially in rural Ireland where people want to see reasonably paid jobs. Work in the boning industry and in meat factories is skilful. It is also physically onerous and workers probably have a short period in that work. However, a salary of €22,000 amounts to not allowing people to access those jobs because employers are keeping people at a low minimum wage. What is the ICTU experience? Does the organisation have any experience of the pilot scheme? Does it have any experience of the overall effect when the visa is tied to the employer? Does that lead to poor conditions of employment in the long term?