Rogue employment agencies to be tackled

The Irish Government is to clamp down on rogue employment agencies supplying labour to workplaces around the country.
Under the proposed legislation all employment agencies would need a licence and have to follow a new code of practice. Compliance with the code would be a condition of securing and retaining the licence.
The new legislation would oblige agencies to pay workers the national minimum wage or rates set out in negotiated employment agreements for particular sectors.
It is thought that the legislation would also ensure that each employee must have an identifiable employer within the State who would be legally responsibility for compliance with all aspects of employment legislation. The new legislation will also define an agency and an employee.
In 2006, the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Micheál Martin TD, criticised sub-contractors and agents who were paying staff considerably less than the rate of pay set out in registered employment agreements for particular sectors.
There are now 520 employment agencies operating in Ireland. The new legislation follows on from a commitment in the National Partnership Agreement, Towards 2016. The legislation is expected to be brought to Cabinet within the coming weeks.