Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)

We are examining this issue in the context of what has happened in recent years. That Ireland has, since May 2004, experienced the most rapid inward migration of any of the 25 EU member states will inform our deliberations on the matter. We undertook in the social partnership agreement, Towards 2016, to consult the social partners. The Secretary General of the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment has written to ICTU and IBEC in fulfilment of that commitment and he is awaiting a response from those organisations. We have been in contact at official level with the UK authorities, who are actively considering this issue. We are assessing a number of issues. We are taking a conservative approach not only to our assessment of Ireland's current labour market situation but also to our analysis of the key challenge of integration. We regard social integration as a fundamental priority objective. In light of the significant inward migration we have experienced, all sectors of society, including all Departments and State agencies, are charged with ensuring that they provide for the fullest and most effective degree of integration. Training and education are related issues which are critical to integration.

It is estimated that approximately 260,000 personal public service numbers have been issued since May 2004. It is estimated that approximately 177,000 people to whom those numbers were issued have taken up employment. Some of the personal public service numbers were issued to students, people on short-term and seasonal contracts and people with more established forms of employment. The Central Statistics Office estimates that approximately 80,000 nationals or citizens of accession states are currently in employment in Ireland.

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