Immigrant groups pressure Harney on work permit promise

IMMIGRANT groups yesterday called on Tánaiste Mary Harney to explain exactly how she intends to live up to a promise to give new work permits to exploited workers when no such Government decision has been made.

Speaking on Dublin’s Newstalk radio yesterday, Ms Harney promised to give new work permits to any immigrants being exploited by their current employer in Ireland.

“If there are people out there who are currently unhappy because the pay and conditions or the terms under which they came are not being fulfilled, if they contact my department we will give them a permit to work elsewhere.

“We don’t want anybody here to have a bad experience in Ireland,” she said.

However, despite the comments, a spokesman for Ms Harney later said there had been no change in Government policy, and any immigrant worker seeking a new work permit because of exploitation would have to first have a new employer agree to give them a job.

“Of course you need a job before that can happen. We can’t give out a work permit if you don’t have another job,” the spokesman said.

The spokesman said last year up to 3,000 new work permits were issued to immigrants who wished to change jobs and had found a new employer.

Immigrant Council of Ireland legal consultant Hilkka Becker called on the Department of Enterprise Trade and Employment to prove Ms Harney’s comments were not just an empty promise.

“In general we are pleased to see the Government is beginning to address the issue of people being exploited and being forced to leave employers through no fault of their own,” she said.

“However, we would ask the department to clarify exactly what kind of permit people would be issued and how the Government would assess whether someone is being exploited or not,” Ms Becker said.

“I would assume that we can hold her to her word, but how is this going to work and what kind of guarantee is the Government giving to those suffering this kind of exploitation,” she said.