Tony Killeen (Clare, Fianna Fail)

The labour inspectorate of the Department is responsible for monitoring certain employment conditions for all categories of workers in Ireland, including immigrant workers. The inspectorate operates without any differentiation with regard to worker nationality as statutory employment rights and protections apply to immigrant workers in exactly the same manner as they do to other workers.

The labour inspectorate contacted the principal parties in this issue on Tuesday, March 13 and subsequently met senior representatives of the ESB and their agents and these contacts have been ongoing since. In the meantime, inspectors have commenced inquiries with the contractor concerned in this case and have visited both the head office and the site in Moneypoint. These inquiries are continuing and a further visit is planned.

I may have read most of this reply in response to four or five previous questions.

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