Seanad debates

Wednesday, 29 January 2003

Immigration Bill, 2002: Committee Stage (Resumed).

 

While I accept the penalties on indictment are severe, one must remember that for a case to go on indictment the Director of Public Prosecutions would have to be of the view that it was of such seriousness as to warrant a jury trial and that the penalties available in the District Court were not appropriate for it. It is hard to think of a particular case which could involve imprisonment. If, however, somebody running a large vegetable farm, for example, was found to have employed 25 people in appalling circumstances for a long period, that person should face very serious penalties, especially if it was to transpire that the employees had the threat of exposure or being dumped out of the country held over them every time they asked for economic justice. This measure is good news from an employer perspective, but even better news from a worker perspective.

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