Liz McManus (Wicklow, Labour)
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Question 84: To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the steps he plans to take to establish the number of people from other countries working illegally here; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25391/07]

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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The Employment Permits Acts 2003 and 2006 provide for a large number of obligations and offences. These include: offences relating to the employment of foreign nationals except in accordance with an employment permit and forgery, fraudulent alteration or fraudulent use of an employment permit.

Under the 2006 Act, data in respect of certain matters may be exchanged between my Department and the Department of Social and Family Affairs, the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform and the Revenue Commissioners. This has significantly enhanced the enforcement capacity of these Departments and agencies.

In order to ensure the satisfactory enforcement of the provisions of the Acts, authorised officials of my Department's Employment Permits Section may utilise information on compliance with employment permits legislation to refer cases for prosecution to the Chief State Solicitor's Office.

It is intended that an Employment Prosecution Unit will be set up within the Department where authorised officers under the Employment Permits Act 2006 will utilise information on compliance with employment permits legislation to refer cases for prosecution to the Chief State Solicitor's Office. They will also liaise closely with the National Employment Rights Authority in ensuring that legally employed non-nationals enjoy the full range of statutory employment rights entitlements.

Article three of the International Labour Organisation's Labour Inspection Convention (C81), ratified by Ireland states that: There are currently 50 Labour Inspectors and a further 40 should be recruited by the end of 2007. It is essential that all employers abide by the Laws of the State.