Gerard Craughwell (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I call for a debate in the House on the gross abuse of public money to defend indefensible cases. PDFORRA, the Defence Forces' representative body, has taken seven cases to date on the Working Time Directive and won each of them. The latest case cost the State €200,000 in legal fees and there was a five figure settlement for the claimant. This is nonsense. If the State is fully aware of its obligations under the directive, why is it spending money to defend indefensible litigation? Is it because the Department has such deep pockets into which it never has to put its own money that it can take on these cases to create some kind of delay? This is an outrageous abuse of public money. Earlier, Members were talking about people sleeping rough yet €200,000 was spent here. There are 35 more cases laid before the High Court relating to the directive and the Defence Forces and there will be another 35 in a week or two. I am sure there will be 35 more the week after that. Will the Government keep throwing money at this rather than fix the problem? As such, I would like a debate in the House on the abuse of public money.

I also raise the need for protections for teachers working for fly-by-night language schools, which my colleague, Senator Lawlor, referred to earlier. These teachers have been abused and treated in the most appalling way. Thankfully, they have some representation now through the trades unions, but they had none in the past. Any school setting up now should have to put aside a bond to ensure the final payment of the teachers working for them. At least two months' wages for each teacher should be provided for. It is not a lot to ask. I agree with Senator Lawlor that many of these smaller schools have become visa factories. There was a case some time ago where the box room of a three-bedroom house was registered as a language school with 1,000 students. It is just outrageous.