Higgins calls for introduction of new work permit laws

THE Government must bring in new work permit laws to guarantee immigrant workers the minimum wage and a concrete means to verify that pay, Socialist Party leader Joe Higgins insisted at the weekend.

The latest case of the Filipino hairdresser hired for €1 an hour by Irish Ferries highlights even further the scale of the gross exploitation that is going on, Mr Higgins said.

The Socialist Party leader told their annual conference in Navan at the weekend that the State's failure to address the underpayment of immigrant workers was "immoral and unjust".