Still no Pathway to Citizenship for Migrant Workers Bill should also cover PPS number validation by Government
Chambers Ireland’s Human Resources Policy Council has today (13/04/08) called for a clear pathway to citizenship for migrant workers in Ireland. In its submission on the Immigration, Residence and Protection Bill 2008, the Council expressed concerns about the ramifications of the Bill as currently drafted.
Speaking today John Forde, Chair of Chambers Ireland’s Human Resources Policy Council said “While we welcome many aspects of the Bill, and see it as an excellent opportunity to reform Ireland’s outdated immigration legislation, a number of its provisions are of questionable value, for example, the lack of a clear pathway to citizenship.”
Pathway to Citizenship “Although the Bill provides a statutory footing for the status of long-term residence, it fails to map out how law abiding migrants will be able to progress to full citizenship. This coupled with the lack of provision for migrants’ partners and children to live and work in Ireland will have negative outcomes both for migrants and the competitiveness of the Irish economy,” he said.
PPS Numbers Forde continued, “Chambers Ireland also notes that the Department of Social and Family Affairs (DSFA) already has primary responsibility for issuing Personal Public Service (PPS) numbers. The Bill should also ensure that DSFA is fully responsible for assuring the validity of all PPS numbers. This is because employers in general rely on PPS numbers to validate the legitimacy of individuals.”
Access to State-Funded Services – Denying Legal Aid “The Bill seeks to limit access to State-funded services for migrants who are ‘unlawfully present’ in Ireland. This has the potential to result in individuals, who were recruited to Ireland legitimately and are active tax-paying participants, being repatriated to their countries of birth without basic access to Legal Aid. This situation could arise through something as simple as an administrative error or using State-funded services,” Forde said.
Application Procedures Seán Murphy, Director of Policy at Chambers Ireland added, “Another worry we have is the lack of commitment to ensure that paperwork processing charges at every stage of the immigration process specifically correlate to the cost of administration only. Such charges should not be used as a deterrent or double taxation of migrants or employers supporting them in lawfully coming to Ireland. Furthermore, we are concerned about the amount of discretionary powers granted to the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform, and that procedures may be more difficult to establish where decisions are made in a less formal context—i.e. by means of a Ministerial order.”
“Inward migration has helped to sustain Ireland’s economy. Any legislation introduced must ensure that Ireland remains a prime destination for the world’s most talented and accomplished workers if it is to maintain its competitiveness and continue to satisfy the demand for highly skilled employees,” Murphy concluded.
For further information or to request a copy of the submission please contact Jessica Dempsey, Press & Communications Officer, Chambers Ireland on 01-400 4303, 086-608 1605 or email jessica.dempsey@chambers.ie.
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