Joe Higgins (Dublin West, Socialist Party)

The labour inspectorate did an excellent job in trying to out the truth in the Gama affair. I am talking about the rights of all workers, Irish and migrant. The laws under which the labour inspectorate work are totally inadequate. The workers are chasing justice 12 or 18 months down the road in the courts. In the meantime they have been harassed, bullied and sacked from their jobs by their employers. That is the position. Justice delayed in the case of vulnerable workers is justice denied.

There is a new situation that will be fraught for Irish workers. Eastern European subcontractors are increasingly being used by some bosses in the construction industry to undercut trade union rates of pay and conditions. The Tánaiste welcomed this as a champion of the neo-liberal jungle. She wants workers' wages to be undercut and their conditions to be downgraded. The trade unions should have none of that and should launch a major drive to integrate migrant and Irish workers to defend trade union rates of pay and conditions. However, at the same time we need to force the Government to amend the legislation to provide immediate justice. Just as quickly as a boss can go into the High Court with €10,000 and get an injunction prohibiting workers from seeking their rights, we need such mechanisms that are amenable to Irish workers and all other workers here to secure justice. What is the Tánaiste's response?

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