Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 25 October 2006
75 Mr. Allen asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he has discussed the upcoming accession of Bulgaria and Romania to the European Union with his European counterpart Ministers, with particular regard to the question of opening access to labour markets for the citizens of these States; if consultations between his Department and other Departments have taken place with regard to this issue; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34714/06]
View answerThe preparedness of Bulgaria and Romania for membership of the European Union has been a major issue on the EU agenda since they signed their treaty of accession in April 2005. Considerable attention has been given to the Commission's efforts in monitoring the two countries' preparations for accession. The matter has been discussed by EU Foreign Ministers on a number of occasions. The most recent discussion took place at this month's meeting of the General Affairs and External Relations Council, when both countries were commended on the reforms they have undertaken. The Council looks forward to welcoming Bulgaria and Romania into the EU in January 2007.
There has been a particular focus on labour market access in recent months. As Deputies are aware, the Government decided yesterday that Ireland will avail of the transitional labour market access arrangements which are provided for in the EU's accession treaty with Bulgaria and Romania. Therefore, citizens of Bulgaria and Romania will continue to require work permits if they are to take up employment here after the two countries accede to the EU in January of next year. The Government's decision was taken on the basis of careful consideration of the issues involved and following consultations with the social partners. Consultations on this issue have also taken place between the various Departments. The Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment, which has responsibility for labour market and work permit issues, has been particularly involved. The Government had extensive contact with other member states to determine their intentions.
Finland, which currently holds the EU Presidency, is the only pre-2004 EU member state to have announced that it will allow unrestricted labour market access for citizens of Bulgaria and Romania from next January. Other member states have indicated they will impose restrictions. A number of key countries have not yet opened their labour markets to the member states which joined the EU in 2004. The British Government, which did not impose any restrictions in 2004, has decided to apply a work permit requirement on this occasion. The British decision was an important consideration in the Government's analysis of the options available to Ireland. When the last EU enlargement took place in 2004, Ireland was one of just three member states not to restrict labour market access for citizens of the acceding states from central and eastern Europe. As a result, many people from those countries have come to work in Ireland over the past two years. Ireland has taken in almost half as many workers from the new member states as the UK, which has a population 15 times greater than the population of Ireland.
The ESRI has pointed out that many people have moved to Ireland at a time of rapid economic growth. The broadly positive impact of that migration to date may not be evident in a more difficult economic climate. We need to continue to monitor the effects of migration on society, for example on our education, health and social security systems. In that context, and in the light of the intentions of its EU partners, the Government's decision to continue to require Bulgarians and Romanians to seek work permits was the prudent and proper course of action to take. It means workers from Bulgaria and Romania will be able to come here when they can fill a genuine labour market need.
Why was the House treated with such disrespect when this important decision was being taken? The Minister said the social partners were consulted. The Joint Committee on European Affairs wanted to discuss this matter with the Department of the Taoiseach, but no such session took place. The importance of that committee was ignored. A decision was made without any consultation with the other political parties. Does the Minister agree the manner in which the announcement was made was a further example of the downgrading of this House? The announcement was made on the coat-tails of the UK announcement, which was made yesterday morning. When the UK authorities jumped, we jumped after them in the absence of any consultation with the other political parties. The Minister mentioned that an impact study has been conducted on our social services. To what extent has a study taken place of the impact on our hospital and educational services of the influx of workers from the accession states that followed the last round of EU enlargement?
I congratulate Bulgaria and Romania on their forthcoming membership of the EU. Their Governments now have the hard job of explaining to the populations of those countries the reasons they are being excluded in this way. I support the Government's decision, in principle. There should have been some consultation, at least, with the partners which matter most in this country's political structures, including this House.
I do not accept that the other political parties were not involved in this process. I participated in a number of discussions at Oireachtas committees about the accession of Bulgaria and Romania to the European Union. The question of whether free access would be given to workers from those countries was discussed at those meetings. I made the point on many occasions, as I did in my earlier reply, that Ireland, Sweden and the United Kingdom were the only three of the 15 pre-2004 member states to give free access to workers from the ten new countries which joined the EU in May 2004. It is estimated that approximately 275,000 people from those accession countries have been given personal public service numbers in this State, which has a population of 4.2 million, over a relatively short space of time. Approximately 500,000 such people went to the UK, which has a population of 56 million, over the same period. Just 10,000 people from the accession states went to Sweden, which was the only other country to allow free labour market access, in the same timeframe. That is an indication that Ireland has done its bit to provide for free access, by and large.
The Government examined the situation carefully before it made this decision. It considered the recommendations of the social partners and the views which were expressed in this House. I cannot comment on the request that was made to the Department of the Taoiseach, which was highlighted by Deputy Allen just now. Like the Minister who has direct responsibility for work permits, Deputy Martin, I was willing to come to the House or a committee meeting to discuss this issue at any time. I welcome the fact Fine Gael supports the Government's view, which concurs exactly with the statements made by the Economic and Social Research Institute and the social partners, on the current situation. It should be emphasised that under the system in place at EU level, countries like Ireland which continue to keep restrictions in place will ultimately have to provide for free access after a relatively short time — a seven-year period at the very most. After separate periods of two years, two years and three years have passed, countries which have put restrictions in place will have to open their labour markets.
A number of countries, including some major countries in the EU which did not allow free access in 2004, have yet to open their borders to the member states which acceded to the Union in that year. Ireland has done more than its fair share by allowing free access to its labour market. While we acknowledge the principle of free access, we ultimately have to bear in mind all the various considerations, which we have done in a reasoned way. We were in fairly constant contact with our colleagues in Britain about what they were doing in this regard. It does not relate to the issue of the common travel area between Ireland and Britain. It relates more to the fact that if the British authorities introduced restrictions but we did not, Ireland would be the only English-speaking country in the EU without any restrictions. In our view, that might have led to larger numbers than normal coming to our shores.
What discussions took place with our other EU partners about the opening of their borders? The decisions which have been made — I accept the Government's decision may have been forced on it — are contrary to the EU principle of mobility of labour. Can the Minister give the House details of the pressures which are being placed on other Governments to open their labour markets, so the impact on Ireland, the UK and Sweden will not be as great in the future as it has been in recent years? Surely the issue of the common travel area was central to the Government's decision. Why did the Government show such indecent haste in jumping to a decision within two hours of yesterday's announcement of the UK decision?
The Taoiseach and the British Prime Minister, Mr. Blair — the two Governments — had agreed the announcements would be made on the same day. We had been in constant contact. It had nothing to do with following the British slavishly, off the top of our heads. This was a result of constant negotiations with the respective Departments and the respective Prime Ministers. The Taoiseach and Prime Minister Blair discussed this issue recently at St. Andrew's in Scotland.
What about the other countries?
We have been in discussion with other countries at EU level and I made the point that Ireland opens its borders. Our colleagues have been surprised at the numbers that have come to Ireland and they acknowledge that Ireland opened its borders for the previous accession.
There is pressure on other countries but they must make their own decisions and cannot slavishly follow others. Similarly, we must make decisions based on the circumstances that pertain at a particular time. A number of countries, including France, Germany and Belgium, have indicated they will probably impose restrictions. Time is running out for those countries regarding the previous enlargement and between 2009 and 2011 they will be compelled to allow full access.
I presume we will try not to use the seven years in question.
