Thomas Byrne (Meath East, Fianna Fail)

Deputy Naughten referred to the HSE, which uses large numbers of agency workers. Many nurses and medical staff are happy to engage in agency work, particularly because such work offers them, at least for a period, some level of flexibility. However, agency work is costing the HSE a great deal of money and it would do well to examine how cost savings might be made in this area. It could then give pharmacists a break.

I pay tribute to the Labour Party for raising the issue of migrant workers. There has been a political controversy in respect of this matter in the north east. The motion before the House has helped to highlight this issue and I hope it will remind migrant workers that they have rights and should not be exploited. I also pay tribute to the Minister and the Government on the work they have done in recent years.

In Government, my party has given a warm welcome to workers from all over the world. I refer, in particular, to those who have arrived from the states that most recently acceded to the European Union. The welcome given to these workers was extended by our own choice and was not extended by all of our fellow EU member states. Discrimination against migrant workers in respect of pay or any of their terms and conditions is legally and morally wrong and must be stopped. As the Minister of State indicated, such workers have the same rights as their Irish counterparts. That fact must be emphasised at all times.

Deputies are going to be inundated with queries from migrant workers and perhaps also their agency counterparts. That will be a positive outcome from this debate. Obviously, further work must be done in respect of the legislation and hopefully people will come to know more about their rights. Regardless of whether they are black or white, yellow or brown, labourers deserve equal wages and everyone in the House is in favour of ensuring that they obtain them.

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