Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)

I move amendment No. 72:

In page 10, between lines 17 and 18, to insert the following:

"(2) An employment permit shall, as far as practicable, be issued in, or accompanied by a translation in, the language of the employee.".

We discussed this on Committee Stage. I am sorry not to see the Minister's name appended to mine on this amendment. He undertook to consider it between Committee and Report Stages. It would make it a requirement that employment permits shall "as far as practicable, be issued in, or accompanied by a translation in, the language of the employee". I thought that was a reasonable requirement. Even the census is going out in 11 languages. The saver clause "as far as practicable" meant it would not be overly burdensome but would be an extremely strong safeguard against exploitation and a reasonable undertaking for the State. I take it from the absence of the Minister's co-sponsorship of the amendment that his consideration has not been positive. I wait in hope and expectation on the Minister of State's pronouncement.

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