Minister for Social and Family Affairs Seamus Brennan has defended the policy of allowing migrants from the 10 newest EU states to work freely in Ireland.

Negotiations on new national wage agreements must include measures to tackle job displacement and exploitation of foreign workers, Siptu president Jack O’Connor warned today as a poll revealed the vast majority of people want a work permit regime introduced.

The Labour Party is warning against a knee-jerk reaction to an opinion poll this morning showing that a vast majority of voters want EU migrants covered by a work permit scheme.

A new opinion poll on the issue of re-introducing work permits for foreign workers has revealed that 78% of voters are in favour of the idea.