Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)

The most recent and shocking abuse highlighted this week concerned EU nationals who do not require work permits. These are Polish workers who were exploited and paid half the going rate and whose case was highlighted so well and so forcefully in the Irish Examiner this week. Despite receiving threats of legal action for exposing this abuse, why did it require the Irish Examiner and SIPTU to address and resolve this issue instead of the Minister of State's Department or its inspectorate? How can he justify that the labour inspectorate, the body that audits compliance with labour law, carried out 30% fewer inspections last year compared with the previous year? In 2004, 5,160 inspections were carried out and 7,168 in 2003. At a time when a substantial number of additional workers are coming into the economy, fewer inspections and monitoring of conditions are being carried out. Is the Minister of State aware that the Polish Embassy has stated it is inundated with cases of exploitation from Polish workers who are EU citizens? Is he aware that the case for non-EU citizens is even more scandalous, as highlighted in the report of the Migrant Rights Centre, the details of which I know the Minister of State has in front of him.

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