Paul Bradford (Fine Gael)

I congratulate Senator White on her broad-ranging discourse on this topic and, while it is not totally related to this debate, I agree with her comments on trafficking. It must be taken seriously. I am a member of the Council of Europe's sub-committee on equal opportunities for men and women, which is currently making a report on the possible danger of the trafficking of women as a result of the World Cup in Germany. We have no control over the fact that prostitution is legal in Germany. In advance of the World Cup, the German authorities are bizarrely putting in place centres for prostitution. There is considerable fear that there will be significant trafficking of women from all over the world, particularly Africa, to these so-called purpose-built centres in Berlin and elsewhere. We must show our concern, not just about the moral issues, but also the exploitation of women. The Council of Europe is gravely concerned about this subject.

I welcome the opportunity to speak on migration and concur with Senator White in that it is bizarre to listen to the criticism of migrant workers in this country. Ireland would shut down but for them. Our hotels, petrol stations and many of our large shopping centres would not be staffed and our infrastructural projects, which are being effectively and thoroughly carried out, would not be completed. We need immigrant workers. Oireachtas committees on European affairs, foreign affairs and others have examined the statistics and there is a conservative estimate that we will need another 40,000 migrant workers each year for the next 20 years. This statistic stands up to scrutiny and we must provide for it politically.

This report is important if we are to put structures in place to deal with the issues of migration and the new Ireland. It is not an exaggeration to say we are beginning to build a rainbow nation. We should be proud of this fact. Senator White referred to the possibility that the census will show 10% of our population comes from nations other than Ireland. This diversity is good as long as we put in place structures to facilitate newcomers and allow the Irish to deal with it progressively. We face challenges and certain dangers but we must also take advantage of the opportunities provided by this emerging picture.

I do not agree with Senator White's opinion on a Ministry. I accept her statement that there is only constitutional provision for 15 Ministers but one of the weaknesses of politics in this State during the past 50 or 60 years is that we practically set Cabinet portfolios in stone. Issues change and problems emerge, but from an institutional point of view, we do not always respond as thoroughly or quickly as we could. In the next five to ten years, there could certainly be a place for a Department to deal with migration and labour affairs. These crucial issues must be addressed.

Semi-State bodies may be okay and Ministers of State, such as the man sitting in the House, are often effective, but I would like to see a Minister taking charge of related matters, including work permits, equality, housing and education. Senators McDowell and Quinn spoke about the educational aspects of this issue. We must ensure that the children of migrant workers are facilitated to the full extent. It will not only be good for them, but also for this country. If managed properly, migration should result in a win-win situation but there must be a greater political grasping of the nettle. As such, the possibility of a Minister in charge of migration and broader labour issues should be actively considered by the Government.

Senator McDowell also spoke about the stereotypical phraseology we use. For example, we speak about foreign labour, but the majority of these people are not foreigners — they are fellow Europeans. They are doing what Irish people needed to do for generations and what we did so effectively in the United States, Britain, Australia, New Zealand and, to a lesser extent, other European countries, that is, carving out livelihoods, new opportunities, new ways of life and helping to build new communities. We should try to see the positives of migration, not just from the urgent labour point of view, but the new mix of people and nationalities coming to Ireland with their own cultures and backgrounds. It should enrich this nation.

I concede that it is a challenge and, as is always the case everywhere in the world, a small number of people can view matters negatively and from a racist perspective. Our political challenge is to reject this type of racist thinking and ensure the new Ireland to which everyone is contributing has a space for our migrant population, some of whom may only be here for 12 months or two years but many of whom wish to make their futures and the futures of their families here. We can go forward together. This report provides us with a chart to do that. I hope we will study it in detail and respond to it. From a political perspective, matters could be better dealt with if there were a strong Department taking charge of the issue.