Seanad report: The Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform, Mr McDowell, said he hoped to bring to government proposals for some form of green card system for migrant workers in this country.
At present the work permits system was predicated on a relationship between the migrant and a particular employer. "It is easy to characterise it as a form of indentured labour or employer-specific status. I want the House to know that I am examining that issue and hope to bring before the Government some form of green card system so that if one is a migrant in Ireland, one can move from employment to employment and people are not tied down to one employment, subject to some control on abuse of the system. If somebody comes into Ireland to be a nurse or a psychiatrist, a draughtsman or a software engineer, he or she can go from that employment to some other employment without effectively invalidating their status in Ireland. I regard that as a rational change in our laws."
The Minister, who was speaking in the debate on the citizenship referendum bill, said he agreed with Senator Brendan Ryan that people should not be here on the basis of one link with one employer.
The Referendum Commission was accused by the Leader of the House, Ms O'Rourke, of displaying arrogance of the highest order by placing advertisements in yesterday's newspapers about the planned referendum.
The matter had been raised by Mr Brendan Ryan (Lab), who said that the half-page advertisements had been placed by the Commission even though the legislation for the referendum had not yet been approved by both houses of the Oireachtas. He believed that that was grossly offensive.