When the Taoiseach publicly cautions employers against the displacement of Irish workers by cheap labour from the new EU accession States, it is a sign that warning bells are ringing at Government Buildings.
The needs of employers have shaped the work permit system and our immigration policy so far. But that is likely to change if, rather than fill vacancies unsought by Irish workers, companies deliberately source cheaper labour overseas to the detriment of their existing employees. Such action would spell an end to social partnership.
Minister for Social and Family Affairs Seamus Brennan estimated recently that 600,000 migrant workers will be required over the next 12 years, if the economy is to continue to grow at current levels.
That is a huge influx and takes no account of the likely number of their dependents. Planning for the social changes involved and the demands on State services will pose major difficulties. Happily, some of these issues are being addressed.
Legislation now before the Dáil will reform the work permit system. The document will become the property of the worker, rather than the employer, thereby enabling him to change jobs and avoid a perception of "bonded labour".
A special Green Card will be introduced for categories of highly skilled workers and it will also facilitate family unification. The ban on migrant workers receiving assistance during their first two years here is to be relaxed. And community welfare officers will be allowed to authorise short-term emergency payments.
These reforms will help to alleviate some of the most distressing effects of exploitation and unemployment on foreign workers. In the longer term, the recruitment of gardaí from migrant ethnic groups should have a positive impact on policing.
The social partnership model has helped to produce high levels of economic growth and industrial peace. But it is under strain because of growing international competition and pressure to reduce costs. Concern that a "race to the bottom" may develop has been expressed at the SIPTU conference in Cork. Trade union officials want unscrupulous employers who fail to pay the minimum wage "named and shamed".
SIPTU has a difficult task in welcoming and championing the rights of immigrant workers while, at the same time, defending the interests of its own members. As the number of foreign workers grows, social and racial tensions may emerge.
Such a development must be guarded against by all. That is why employers have a particular responsibility to consider the social consequences of embarking on the erosion of existing pay and working conditions.