We need to put strict employment protocols in place for embassies

It does seem surprising, shortsighted and potentially counter-productive for the South African Embassy in Ireland to contemplate diplomatic immunity as a defence in the case of the domestic employee of its former charges d’affaires involved in the alleged ‘slave labour’ row at the Employment Appeals Tribunal.

Regrettably, this is not the only instance of a senior foreign diplomat in the State being accused of exploiting domestic workers.

It is time for the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade to instruct his Department to establish protocol guidelines about all the privileges accorded to foreign diplomats here and publish these prominently on the Department’s web site.