Foreign worker numbers will be controlled after Nice says Ahern

TAOISEACH Bertie Ahern said Ireland will be able to control the numbers of foreign workers coming from Eastern Europe if the Nice Treaty is ratified.

Ireland will have the discretion to insist that workers from these countries must have work permits for up to five years after their accession to the EU, Mr Ahern said.

"Contrary to suggestions that have been made, we will still have exactly the same voting rights as every other member state in the matter of migration control," he said.