Eamon Ryan (Dublin South, Green Party)

We are managing the huge influx. If we have a downturn and there is a sense that those workers are undercutting Irish workers, there will be a major problem. As well as basic justice motivating us, this potential problem behoves us to get this legislation right to ensure it is not cheap labour we create but prosperity for all, including those visiting and working in our country for whatever period.

A key section of the Bill we support ensures employers do not abuse employees in respect of restrictions on pay or accommodation. The real issue is how we enforce and police the employment rights we are setting out. Despite the provisions in this Bill there are serious concerns that we are not getting it right. That we have eight different bodies dealing with employment rights while workers operate in a transitory system and may not have good knowledge of the country is a remarkable deficiency. While there is a commitment to 31 additional inspectors, we still only have 16. This is a remarkable indictment of the seriousness of intent on this issue. That the number of inspections in 2004 was 33% less than the figure for 2003 runs contrary to the direction in which I wish to see us go.

There are other steps we could take. We could ratify the International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families. This was adopted by the UN General Assembly in 1990. Ratifying this would demonstrate that as a small open economy that has benefitted greatly from the open world economy we are setting the highest standards and setting an example of the way to go.

My last point is that the Bill gives extensive powers to an incumbent Minister in respect of regulating migration policy. This depends on who is the Minister but I am not sure it is appropriate for one Minister to have such power in his or her hands.

See this speech in context