Louise O'Reilly (Dublin Fingal, Sinn Fein)
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The Minister of State has acknowledged that extra protections are needed. He acknowledges that he has to engage with the WRC. There is an acceptance on his part that there are particular problems with seasonal work permits. Nobody at this committee has suggested that 100% of employers are involved. I do not think anyone is even suggesting that it is most employers but even if it is one, that is enough. The Minister of State is acknowledging that extra protections need to be in place and that there is a particular issue with seasonal work permits, namely, that they are open to exploitation. I do not think the Minister of State has a different issue with them than we would have. The difference is that I am not convinced by what the Minister of State is saying about the protections that will be there, and neither is the committee. It is in our report that there is a need for this. Has the Department identified the number needed or the deficiency that exists? Clearly this work is getting done at the moment. I have never been approached by a company that was closing or scaling back its operations for want of these work permits. Who exactly is desperately looking for them? What kind of numbers are we talking about?