Eamon Ryan (Dublin South, Green Party)

I welcome the opportunity to contribute to the debate on behalf of my party. I concur with Deputy Finian McGrath's comments about asylum seekers. While this issue is not central to the legislation, I regret there was not greater co-operation between the Departments of Enterprise, Trade and Employment and Justice, Equality and Law Reform to use the Bill to set conditions that would enable asylum seekers to work. One of the great wrongs in our society is the manner in which asylum seekers are treated. If one wished, one could not design a system more likely to depress and to oppress people than to accept them into the State as asylum seekers than this system that refuses them the ability to work while their applications are being decided. To be forced into a long-term period of unemployment is a deeply depressing experience and it is shameful for us, as a State, to operate that system. I regret that the legislation is not viewed in a wider context around the whole issue of immigration.

Similar to Deputy Howlin, and contrary to what people might expect, I would turn to America to examine how migratory work patterns can be addressed. During the last referendum on the issue of nationality and citizenship, particularly as it related to non-nationals whose children were born in the State, I was struck by the number of American Congressmen and Senators who visited Ireland to argue the case for following a proper republican line and vindicating the rights of immigrants. That sense of a republic has a strong effect. We should follow America's example because it, more than other country, has been successful in bringing migratory peoples together, including our ancestors. Perhaps, we could follow that model to address the issue, given the difficulties experienced in other countries. Generations can be passed over and it is possible to meet the grandchild of an immigrant who still has not assimilated and who does not feel part of the country. Our economy is probably the most open in the western world and it is undergoing rapid and radical change. It behoves this economy more than any other to get the issue of migrant work right.

However, under the American model capitalism untrained is rampant but I fear the Government's policies are still based on the simple basic analysis that as much economic growth as possible is good and that is our only measure of success as a country. That is a dangerous policy. While, gladly, foreign workers can be recruited to make up the shortfall in labour supply, proceeding full steam ahead on that basis is risky and it is not necessarily the best policy. Should we trip up due to an economic downturn, we would face a mighty fall. I would prefer if the State adopted a gradual, consistent and steady approach rather than implementing migration, employment and economic policies on the basis of always trying to achieve maximum economic growth. I am not sure that is a sensible economic policy in the long run. No one wants to return to what we had and while we should welcome and celebrate our recent success, we should be wary of setting policy goals on the basis of maximising GNP because that focus is too narrow.

The legislation proposes a two-tiered system through the provision of green cards and separate legislative protections for unskilled workers. I share Deputy Howlin's concerns but if we must be careful and restrict the numbers, different conditions apply. The green card system does not provide an attractive option. If the Minister is serious about attracting high skilled people we will go further and examine issues such as permanent residency and the treatment of the partners and families of the migrant workers. We need to make sure Ireland leads the way in this regard and provides proper checks and balances.

Does the Minister wish to make a point?

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