Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)

I propose to bring forward an amendment to the Bill on Committee Stage in the Seanad to insert an enabling provision to permit me, as Minister, by regulation, to allow, continue or restrict access to our labour markets by nationals of Romania and Bulgaria. The purpose is to facilitate the entry of those countries into the European Union. That decision will be taken later in the year in accordance with labour market trends and must be implemented before the expected accession or Romania and Bulgaria on 1 January 2007. I propose to move the relevant amendment in the Seanad and then return to the Dáil.

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