Vol. 570 No. 2
97 Mr. Stagg asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment her views on the recent call made by the Immigrant Council of Ireland for radical changes to improve the rights of immigrant workers; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18480/03]
The work permit system grants the permit to an employer to recruit a specific employee to fill a specific vacancy where the employer has been unable to find a suitable employee within Ireland or the wider European economic area. Work permit personnel may in certain circumstances change jobs. In such circumstances a new work permit is issued to an eligible employer. If a work permit were to be given to an individual employee, this in effect, would be granting an authorisation to come to Ireland in search of an employer. Such a system would give rise to a number of serious policy questions and would raise very significant resource issues.
Employment rights legislation in Ireland establishes the minimum statutory rights and protections applicable to all 1.7 million people working in Ireland, whether part-time or full-time, high or low skill, national or non-national. Employment rights legislation makes no distinction between the rights of immigrant workers and any other workers. All workers in Ireland, without exception, are entitled to the same statutory employment rights and protections so the protections of Irish labour law apply to immigrant workers in exactly the same manner as to native Irish workers.
The labour inspectorate of my Department has an ongoing responsibility for monitoring certain employment rights of workers, including immigrant workers. In this regard the inspectorate operates objectively, fairly, impartially and without any differentiation with respect to nationality.
