Mary O'Rourke (Fianna Fail)

Giving more to the employees rather than treating them as pieces of baggage employers could take on and then summarily let go without little consultation is welcome. This sensible legislation is an outcome of all that has happened. I am sure it is the wish of the Department officials and the Minister to put a shape on all of that.

There was much huffing and puffing about taking on workers from the accession countries but if we did not have those workers all the Radisson hotels throughout the country would close because they are all staffed by very skilled, pleasant Polish people. Equally, many other places of employment would virtually close because we would not have the employees to fill the jobs available.

I was amazed recently to read the figures on the number of people here from the accession countries, more of whom I hope will follow. Those workers bring in their wake various attendant problems including housing needs. Also, the face of Ireland will change because intercultural marriages will take place and that will involve visits to and from the various countries, which is very interesting.

I am currently involved with a Polish family. The young woman concerned has got engaged to a very nice young Irish man. It is all very happy, I hope, but there is much toing and froing between the two countries. Her family are coming here in droves and his family are visiting Poland in droves and returning with stories about the wonders of other lands. That is all very interesting in a European context. One might visit Poland and someone from Poland might visit here but this interaction will be widespread and amazing for Irish people and those from countries like Poland from where this young woman comes. That is beside the point, however. Many are coming here.

As far as I can see the Bill does not address the question of the people who have been granted permission to stay; I am not sure of the proper term. They may not yet have citizenship but they have been given permission to stay here. They want to work. They can contribute. I am dealing with a couple in Athlone. The man is from Nigeria and is a computer software engineer. This couple got permission to remain here because they had an Irish-born child after the appropriate date. That is all in order and they are happy. His wife is attending the Athlone Institute of Technology. She did the access course and has now got a place on a college course beginning in September but that raises another question.

The VEC will not grant any amelioration to this woman, even though she would be considered a mature student. I realise that is not the Minister's field but the matter should be highlighted because this couple are not eligible for grants. The fee is €5,000 but she does not have that money and will never have it. He cannot get a job even though he has been granted leave to stay but he has not progressed beyond that part of the process. I suppose the next stage would be citizenship. I do not know if this Bill embraces that; I do not believe it does. These are skilled people who should be in the workforce but they cannot get into it because their papers state that they have leave to stay under the Irish-born child rule——