Seanad debates

Thursday, 27 September 2007

10:30 am

Photo of Alex WhiteAlex White (Labour)

We are agreeable to the Order of Business as outlined by the Leader. I wish to be associated with the expressions of sympathy towards the two brave firefighters who lost their lives earlier this week.

It is a matter of serious regret to note reports that the Government has decided not to opt in to a new European directive on illegal employment. Despite many reports to the contrary, there are many restrictions facing immigrants into the European Union who want to come here and work. This also affects citizens of many of the accession countries who are restricted in other countries of the EU. This directive, which the Government does not appear to support, would not penalise individual workers but companies that employ illegal labour and abuse the regulations that are already in place. This is an excellent directive and the Government ought to support it.

There is much debate about immigration, with concerns expressed and fears sometimes stoked up. The best way to ensure integration and harmonious relationships is to seek to prevent exploitation of immigrant labour in this country and across the EU. It is a matter of serious regret that the Government has decided not to support this directive for the time being. It is reminiscent of the attitude taken by the Government to the Charter of Fundamental Rights some months ago. At one stage we were going to opt out and at another stage were pulling back from that. It was confusing. We spent some time in the Chamber yesterday discussing legislation that had to be put in place because the Government was offside on a European directive dating from 1992. Why are we dragging our feet on these progressive directives coming from Europe? They would ensure that exploitation of immigrant labour would cease or at least be greatly curtailed.

I understand that the Government's decision is partly a result of lobbying from IBEC, an organisation that is perfectly entitled to lobby. However, employers' bodies display a knee-jerk reaction to any proposed regulation and put it down to red tape. This is a progressive proposal directed to ensure that exploitation of immigrants is actually curtailed and prevented, but the Government is dragging its feet. It comes alongside the Government's failure to introduce legislation on agency workers. All of these are practical measures which the Government could take to ensure integration occurs.

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