Brian Hayes (Fine Gael)

The key issue is the way in which the permit system works. As long as the employee is tied directly to the employer and the employer holds the permit, the employer has control. Ireland was brought before the United Nations because of the way our system operates. We need to see changes to give much more control to migrant workers. The Minister says a system similar to the green card will come into place. This would allow highly-skilled, highly-paid people into the country but will not include the majority of people who enter this country.

Why has Ireland not ratified the UN convention on the protection of the rights of all workers and members of their families? It came into being in 2003. All of the issues the Minister mentioned in his speech are included in this convention. We have not heard an explanation why this has not been transposed into Irish law and why we have not signed up to it. I ask the Minister the reason for this.