Dan Boyle (Cork South Central, Green Party)

Tonight's motion tabled by Sinn Féin Deputies is timely and important. Labour issues are to the fore. Considerable controversy attaches to them and whether they are dealt with adequately or within the time necessary to prevent further controversy. The core of the motion seeking that the Department of labour affairs be decoupled from its present home finds favour with the Green Party. It is unfortunate the Taoiseach has not found time to contribute to this debate because his first Cabinet position was as Minister for Labour. Other Members have held that position, including Deputy Quinn. When the Minister and I were teenagers a representative of our constituency, Gene Fitzgerald, held that office so the Department of Labour existed not too long ago and for particular reasons.

Over the course of recent Governments the linking of enterprise, trade and employment, and the ordering of the titles in the Department, has shown the priority that labour issues are given. I accept that the personality of the incumbent Minister drives whether labour issues are given prominence. This Minister might give it more than his predecessor. Existing infrastructure relegates labour issues in the Department. Whether labour affairs should be the responsibility of a stand-alone Department is a matter for further consideration. In the UK labour affairs are linked with the Department of Education. I am not sure whether I would make that link but the logic is that education is a progression of a person's work life, linked with the concept of lifelong learning.

It is obvious that other approaches are taken to this issue. As a result we should be open to giving labour affairs the prominence they deserve. The major problem with how labour issues are dealt with is the lack of appropriate infrastructure. A stand-alone Department or one that is more prominent in a new home would tackle issues such as greater numbers of labour inspectors. The main issue is ensuring that migrants to Ireland are not treated unfairly and that their conditions of work are no less than what the law allows for Irish citizens. This motion allows for such a change to take place.

The second element of the motion regarding a separate Oireachtas committee on labour affairs should be relatively uncontested. It is confining in this Dáil that the Oireachtas committees mirror Departments. In previous Governments there was a multiplicity of specialised committees, which can be more effective. An Oireachtas committee dedicated to labour affairs with members who have a specific interest in that area would be better at examining legislation before the House and airing current issues to ensure that situations like those in Gama and Irish Ferries do not catch us by surprise but are anticipated in the proper framework.

Before migration arose the issue was part-time work by people aged between 16 and 18 years and younger, which was illegal. The monitoring of this by the Department was far from adequate. There were only four inspectors in the entire country and I suspect that has not changed much. When talking about issues affecting labour affairs as of now, it is partly a question of which Department should be responsible. More importantly, it is a question of resources and personnel so we do not have the ongoing problems, which the Minister and the Government are not dealing with adequately.

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