Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)

With regard to what the Taoiseach has indicated he is trying to achieve, I am mindful of a number of other considerations. My first concern is with regard to the rights of access to fair treatment by those who are employed through agency placements, whether indigenous or incoming workers. Does the Taoiseach accept that while this directive will seek to address the inconsistencies and unfairness that unfortunately is rife in employment in this State at present, against the interests of agency workers, this will directly impact on those who are directly employed in a period much shorter than the medium term? Indications of this are already well documented. Does the Taoiseach believe that it is patently in the interests of all workers, whether directly or agency employed, that this measure is adopted?

On a separate matter, the EU Food and Veterinary Office report of last March made 25 recommendations, the implementation of which would compel Brazilian beef to comply with EU safety standards. Why are we still facilitating the importation of Brazilian beef in the absence of the implementation of these recommendations, which clearly point to the need for Brazilian beef to be compelled to comply with the highest standards within the EU? Why can we not act independently in the interests of the health of our communities and, given the spill-on from that, the interests of the Irish beef sector? Why have we not yet acted to prohibit the importation of Brazilian beef that clearly currently does not meet the strict standards the EU would expect and seeks to compel compliance through the implementation of the 25 recommendations in the March report? Will the Taoiseach act on this matter in the interests of health and, as a follow-on to that, the Irish beef sector?

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