Joe Higgins (Dublin West, Socialist Party)

I did not name any firm. I referred to a case in Mullingar involving the gross exploitation of workers. As regards women in domestic service and those working in the care area, the Migrant Rights Centre has documented cases of low pay, excessive working hours, illegal deductions and the fear of deportation if these individuals come forward. There is a major problem in this area.

Does the Taoiseach agree with the trade union activist who stated that the resources the Government provides to root out these abuses are pitiful? I am informed that there are at least 40 dog wardens in the State. There are at least as many rogue bosses as there are mad dogs in the country but there are only 21 labour inspectors. I accept that these inspectors are hard-working and conscientious. However, with the rate of abuse and the fact that there are almost 2 million workers, the resources are completely inadequate. This is a matter of the greatest gravity, involving immoral exploitation. The rogue employers to whom I refer undermine the wages and conditions of all workers. However, those wages and conditions give the latter an edge when it comes to bidding for contracts against firms that pay proper rates and offer their employees proper conditions.

This is a matter of great concern to Independent Deputies from across the country who informed me about similar cases. We want a commitment from the Taoiseach in respect of it. Will he massively increase resources to double or treble the number of personnel employed by the labour inspectorate? In addition, we are seeking that the inspectorate have an office not only in Dublin but one in each of the regions so that it will be easily accessible for workers who need its services. Will the Taoiseach give the inspectors sufficient resources to enable them to be proactive in terms of seeking out exploitation and abuse and in circumventing the front of respectability the exploiters are experts at putting up? The workers who are the victims are often afraid to come forward and, therefore, there must be a sufficient number of inspectors to approach them so that we might root out this immorality that is affecting employment practices.

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