Paul Bradford (Fine Gael)

I support the comments by Senators Finucane and MacSharry on migrant workers. This is part of a broader debate on future labour trends needed in the House. My colleagues on the Joint Committee on European Affairs are beginning a major study of the topic. In recent days the Minister for Social and Family Affairs, Deputy Brennan, has pointed out that the economy will need 60,000 workers in the coming years just to keep ticking over. Others say we will need 40,000 each year for the next 20 years.

How we treat and cope with the huge number of migrant workers needed for the economy will become a major issue which requires serious debate. We must ensure exploitation is investigated, dealt with and driven out and that we put in place social, economic and community structures to ensure we can deal with the social changes brought about by large numbers of people coming to this country in the next ten to 15 years. The Ireland of 2016 will be very different from the Ireland of today and we must prepare for change now.