Gino Kenny (Dublin Mid West, People Before Profit Alliance)
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29. To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation his priority legislation in the area of workers’ rights and employment legislation; if the Employment Permits Act will be amended for migrant workers to make it possible to access the Workplace Relations Commission and Labour Court; if legislation regarding SEOs and collective agreements will be strengthened; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15814/20]

Damien English (Meath West, Fine Gael)
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While employments rights policy is currently the responsibility of my colleague Minister Heather Humphreys T.D. in the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection, it will soon be transferring to my Department. I understand that there is no pending priority legislation in the area of employment rights at this time.

I am concerned that there appears to be a mistaken belief out there that migrant workers – and by this term I mean workers who are from outside the European Economic Area who rely on employment permits to access the Irish Labour market – are somehow outside the protections that the State guarantees for all workers. Irish employment law does not discriminate. All workers in Ireland are entitled to refer employment rights complaints to the Workplace Relations Commission and the Labour Court. Migrant workers enjoy the same protections under the Payment of Wages Act, Organisation of Working Time Act, Employment Equality Acts, and so on, as any Irish worker.

The Workplace Relations Commission provides information booklets on employment rights in 15 languages, including Irish. These are available on the WRC's website.

I have clarified my position concerning the Sectoral Employment Orders already today. We will appeal the High Court decision. I am committed to the sectoral employment orders and will be taking any action necessary to ensure stability in the sectors concerned.