Louise O'Reilly (Dublin Fingal, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I am aware the system in placed is breached on occasion. I know, from talking to the Migrant Rights Centre Ireland, MRCI, and others that the system is open to a level of abuse. As I have said, many employers are fine employers who do a good job and look after their workforce and there are some who are not. This scheme is probably like manna from heaven for those employers who are not, for all the reasons we have discussed. I refer in particular to the issue of the introduction of seasonal work permits because that simply means the workers will be here for a much shorter time. It makes it virtually impossible to organise them and so on. Ms Ward is aware of all of this.

Employers may breach the rules by, for example, holding a worker's passport, paying below the minimum rate or making reductions for accommodation. I have seen some of that accommodation and it is disgusting that anyone would take any money from meagre wages for it. What happens to an employer who breaches the rules? Do they go onto a list whereby they will not be issued with work permits again? Is it a wrist slap? Are they referred to the Garda? What happens to them? How many of them are there? Can we be sure the flexibilities Ms Ward referred to will not be extended to them again if they have proven themselves to be poor employers or if they have breached the rules?