Employers who do not pay the minimum wage to foreign workers were strongly criticised by a District Court judge yesterday.
Judge John Brophy, who was hearing a summons against a Polish man, Marek Sliwinski (31), with an address at Slane, Co Meath, heard that he was receiving £4 an hour in his job with a local construction company. The man was before the court for driving while intoxicated.
Judge Brophy asked his solicitor to contact the Department Enterprise, Trade and Employment about her client's entitlement to the minimum wage of £4.70.
Criticising employers who underpay foreign workers, Judge Brophy said it was a disgraceful trend. "It's a form of cheap, semi-slave labour."