Joanna Tuffy (Labour)

The Minister of State and the Government are being overly cautious in rejecting my amendment. Our concern should be that people from the accession countries may not come here to work. This problem could face employers in the future. The Government should listen more intently to what employers say on the issue of work permits.

I intend to table an amendment on Report Stage which will propose the deletion of subsections (3), (4) and (5) because there should not be a safety clause in the Bill. Having regard to the nationals of countries we will allow to work here without work permits in 2004, we should not insert such a safety clause. Such a provision is one for consideration in the future. We should not insert a provision to provide for a position which could be reversed in a few years' time.