Irish call for immigration changes

The Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU) has called for new rights for those with work permits. After six months it wants the work permit to transfer from the employer to the individual employee, to allow him or her to change jobs if they wish.

The present system means that if employers dismiss someone on a work permit, they are also ending his or her right to stay legally in the Irish Republic. In the view of the ICTU, this "provides totally unbalanced power to the employers and leaves the immigrant insecure and vulnerable".

The ICTU also points out that those on work permits are likely to stay and it says that "immigrants should hear clearly that they are welcome as new members of Irish society and not just welcomed as economic units".