Green card system - Progressive plan will help workers

FOLLOWING the Irish Examiner probe into the activities of Turkish-owned building group Gama, the exploitation of foreign workers has become a major issue on the Irish labour market.

In a welcome crackdown on such abuse, the Government is to introduce legislation aimed at stopping rogue employers ripping off vulnerable workers.

For the first time, a green card system will give migrant workers a greater degree of control over their own lives. Set to be unveiled next week by Enterprise Minister Micheál Martin, this progressive package is an important advance towards liberalising the labour market.

When Ireland signed up to European enlargement in 2004, it cleared the way for citizens from 10 new EU member states to live and work in this country.

Portraying an up-beat picture of a burgeoning economy, the open-door policy attracted thousands of young men and women to work on building sites and in the service industry here.

Regrettably, workers from non-EU countries have not enjoyed the same freedom and many were subjected to gross exploitation by unscrupulous employers.

Such abuses have been condemned in these columns. As a result of the in-depth probe by political reporter Michael Farrell, the Government is taking action.

As highlighted by the Irish Examiner editorial of March 25, 2003, foreign workers “have been ruthlessly preyed upon by rogue employers, including being illegally charged for processing work permits. Money has also been taken out of workers’ pay packets without their knowledge”.

However, under the new Employment Permits Bill 2005, the State will provide green cards for high skilled workers from abroad. Skills needed in Ireland will be identified periodically by the minister and the cards will last for a minimum of five years.

Essentially, this will allow migrant workers to come here without being permanently linked to an employer, a process which in the past has led to blatant exploitation by some employers.

While non-EU workers will still need to be sponsored by an employer, they can move if sponsored by a new boss. Individuals will also control vital documentation, including their passports and a copy of the work permit. Significantly, the deduction of permit charges and recruitment fees from their wages will be outlawed.

With breaches of the new permit carrying a maximum penalty of €50,000, the proposed legislation should act as a realistic deterrent. In the long running Gama case, it will address many problems highlighted by the Irish Examiner.

At a stroke, Mr Martin will get rid of Ireland’s shameful bonded labour system which has effectively kept foreign workers on a leash.