James Bannon (Fine Gael)

I welcome the Minister to the House to debate this important issue. From being a relatively poor country dragged into prosperity on the back of the EU, Ireland now has the second highest minimum wage in the EU, a fact about which the Government boasts. However, this is no excuse for complacency when our immigrant workers, who contribute to our economic growth, sometimes find themselves working in Victorian subsistence conditions. This situation has been highlighted by Senator White and the Leader, Senator O'Rourke, before me so there has been an admittance of Government negligence in this area.

While we can be proud that our economic growth benefits more people than before, we should ask ourselves what we are doing for often exploited immigrant workers. These people have come to Ireland full of hope and the expectation of a brighter future, as Irish people were when they emigrated to America, Europe and elsewhere. It is a sobering experience to learn about the suffering our emigrant forefathers endured in America in the museum on Ellis Island in New York. Thankfully, we have come a long way since then and similar conditions do not exist today.

It is hard to realise any dream on a wage of €1 per hour. Indeed, it would be hard to stave off a nightmarish life involving a constant struggle to exist. This is the reality facing many immigrant workers in Ireland today, a reality more will face in the future unless legislation to combat such abuse and exploitation is immediately introduced. What could have been a more fitting theme for the recent May Day rally than the rights and entitlements of migrant workers? The trade union-organised rally highlighted the harsh treatment many immigrant workers experience. Such abuses disgrace us all and give the lie to our position in the developed world.

Trade unions are under considerable pressure to cope with the volume of complaints from migrant workers concerning their treatment. Non-national workers are seeking help at union halls every day of the week. The number of complaints rises in proportion to the numbers of immigrants arriving in Ireland. Between 1 January and 31 March 2005, work permits were issued to workers from well over 100 countries. The situation facing Gama workers, which was referred to by practically every Senator this evening, is well documented and, while shocking, is not the first case of its kind. Unless appropriate legislative action is taken, it will not be the last case of its kind either. This state of affairs was highlighted by the protest at the opening of the new Lough Ree power station in Lanesboro in my own constituency of Longford in the presence of the Minister for Finance. The ESB was not responsible for the underpaying of workers but a contract company was guilty of the practice, as was also the case with Irish Ferries.

Allied with legislative change, we must examine the broader picture and the attitudes of those who have direct dealings with immigrants and immigrant workers. Government officials and staff are probably the first people to deal on a practical basis with immigrant workers and their approach and attitude is critical. Education in dealing with non-national workers must be provided for staff who have been thrown in at the deep end. Attention must be paid to the attitude of the Judiciary. Unfortunate instances of apparent prejudice by the Judiciary must not be repeated. Schools have an important role to play in promoting good race relations among children from a very early age. These important measures, combined with the Government's proposed joined-up approach to immigration through the establishment of a new agency within the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform to co-ordinate all aspects of immigration, from asylum seekers to foreign workers, should go a long way towards creating equality within a welcoming society.

Despite the best intentions, progress will not be dictated by the attitude of the Irish people in general. We must be honest and face the fact that we are, for the most part, intolerant of non-nationals. A recent poll commissioned by The Sunday Tribune showed that eight out of ten Irish people want restrictions on non-nationals. The poll highlighted that a significant proportion of the population wants the Government to restrict the number of non-nationals entering the country and has little one-to-one contact with non-nationals. This is evident in the fact that non-nationals tend to live in their own enclaves in both urban and rural communities and, in many cases, do not integrate or are not encouraged to integrate with the wider community.