James O'Connor (Cork East, Fianna Fail)

An interesting point came up in discussions with the Department previously. I am interested in hearing the union standpoint on it. In terms of large-scale capital infrastructure projects in particular, we see international contractors in a number of countries around the world bringing in contract employment, although not so much within the European Union. Does Mr. Gibbons have a particular view on that? Does it have a role to play in Ireland in terms of dealing with problems in an emergency context or in the very short-term context of urgent need? Would there be merit in bringing in international workers to work on specific building contracts, with block grant permits for employment contracts, as is happening in other regions? In asking that question, I accept that there are human rights concerns and wage issues. Does Mr. Gibbons have a specific view on this?