Paudge Connolly (Cavan-Monaghan, Independent)

Before lunch I was referring to the need for legislative change in this area, which would be welcome. The legislation will lead to a great improvement in working conditions for a number of people.

However, the sad fact is that we are now doing what happened to Irish people for a number of years. There are a small number of unscrupulous employers who should be exposed for what they are doing. Many migrants seeking a new life for themselves have been subjected to the most shameful exploitation by a minority of unscrupulous employers. We have seen television documentaries about employers who retain passports and treat migrants as little more than bonded labour. I have seen this happen in my locality in Monaghan. We have seen television programmes about people being used as sex slaves in Liverpool. If that is happening in Liverpool, there is a possibility it is also happening here. This type of activity must be rooted out of society.

Under the legislation, overseas recruitment agencies who charge employees exorbitant fees will have those fees reduced substantially. Many migrant workers are in fear and dread of such agencies because they feel they are still tied or bonded to them. The new legislation will mean that employees will no longer be tied to employers through a permits system. The decision to grant future work permits to employees rather than to employers is significant. In future, under the Bill, employers will still apply for the work permit on behalf of employees but, when issued, the permit will become the property of employees.

It will also set out basic rights and entitlements, of which employers will receive a copy. This is significant, because employers held work permits as a means of holding workers as slaves. Employers will be prevented from deducting recruitment expenses from the wages of workers or from retaining their personal documents. There have been examples of such exploitation whereby employers retain documents, provide workers with wages and housing and charge whatever rent they like, leaving workers with little or nothing.

Breaches of the new regulations will result in significant fines for employers. However, a fine of €1,000 in one case might be meaningless in another case. I trust that such penalties will be sufficiently severe to provide an adequate deterrent to the minority of ruthless employers.

See this speech in context