Lap dancers claim they are exploited

EMPLOYMENT inspectors are to interview lap dancers who claim to have been exploited by their bosses. Lap dancers have complained they are being robbed, being asked to sleep with customers and having their passports confiscated.

The probe comes after gardaí alerted the Department of Enterprise to the complaints.

Government inspectors have placed a ban on any new work permits for lap dancers and are in the process of interviewing those who have made complaints. “We would encourage anyone who feels they have been exploited or that they are not receiving fair working conditions to come forward and contact us and we will investigate it,” a spokesman for the Department of Enterprise which issues the permits said.

He confirmed that a ban had been put in place pending a full review of the operation of work permits in the industry.

“The decision to suspend the issue of permits for lap dancers was made because of complaints the guards had received from girls who had alleged they had been mistreated.

“We don’t want, by issuing permits, to find ourselves unwittingly contributing to the exploitation of lap dancers or any employee,” he said.

Staff from the work permit section and labour inspectorate section are to conduct the review.

“The review will look at the operation of the clubs, and the way in which the employer would treat their employee.

“Our principal concern is to ensure the employee is afforded full protection of Irish labour law, that doesn’t distinguish between nationality or whether they’re on a work permit.”

He said the investigators would be sensitive to the possibility that some may be afraid to speak out.

“Our work permit section works very closely with the Garda Immigration Bureau regarding the operation of the work permit scheme. The review will work in conjunction with the labour inspectors and the gardaí.”

The department hopes that the review will be completed soon.

Meanwhile, the Government training agency FÁS has banned adverts for lap dancers after one job advert was posted on an employment agency’s database by mistake.

Department of Enterprise figures show there has been a boom in the demand for migrant lap dancers among club owners.

So far this year, 633 entertainment workers have been granted work permits, with lap dancers accounting for a significant percentage.