Joe O'Toole (Independent)

I also congratulate the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform on having the self-confidence and flexibility to listen to advice. He attracted much criticism in respect of this matter but he obviously realised that there was a need for him to intervene. There have not been many examples of Ministers intervening on issues in such a public way or of their being prepared to change their minds. The Minister should be congratulated on his actions. I thank the Leader for raising this issue with him on behalf of the House. We should communicate to him our deep appreciation in respect of his intervention.

I wish to comment on the issue to which Senator Brian Hayes referred. The situation is quite appalling. We have witnessed both sides of the migration debate recently. On one hand, people protested outside the gates of Leinster House on behalf of the Nigerian student. On the other, Deputy Joe Higgins has been raising the issue of Gama Construction Ireland Limited for a number of weeks. People stated, when the Deputy first aired his concerns, that what he was saying could not be true and challenged him to speak on the matter outside the House, which he did. It now appears that he has been proven right and that matters appear to be even worse than he originally indicated. These people operate in Dickensian working and service conditions. They have no rights or supports and are not subject to health and safety regulations, which is appalling.

I understand that a member of the clergy in County Kilkenny has carried out a review on migrants involved in agricultural work in his area. He discovered that a number of these individuals are living in hay sheds, are being paid €2 per day and are being fed with white bread covered in brown sauce. This has only occurred in a small number of cases and does not reflect what happens on the majority of farms. Even so, it highlights the position in which Ireland finds itself in 2005. We must put a stop to this type of behaviour and Senator Brian Hayes's proposal might offer us a way forward in that regard. The Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment must come before the House to explain how he intends to put a stop to it.

The Minister has spoken about the number of inspectors involved but the problem is growing. We discovered this morning that RTE is investigating a situation that has arisen in respect of Irish Ferries which involves a person who is running — on behalf of another employer — a beauty parlour on one of the company's vessels, who is being paid exploitative wages, who does not have security of tenure and who only gets three days off each month. What happened when the matter was highlighted by RTE? The woman in question was sacked.

People must put aside the idea that this is a "lefty" issue. These interests to which I refer are undercutting decent employers. Gama Construction is putting decent employers, contractors and those who tender honestly, openly and legally for business at a loss. For humane, legal and commercial reasons, this type of behaviour cannot be allowed to continue because it is wrong. I ask that the Minister come before the House to discuss this issue.