An investigation into the treatment of Polish drivers by a Wexford transport company is taking place following complaints from the Polish embassy.
The consul at the embassy, Ms Malgorzata Kozik, asked the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment to investigate after receiving complaints from more than 10 Polish drivers employed by Nolan Transport in New Ross.
They included claims that drivers were not given sufficient rest periods and that one employee was sacked and not allowed to retrieve his personal belongings after he asked a union, SIPTU, for assistance.
The company was also accused of deducting "work permit fees" from drivers' wages.
SIPTU, which was also contacted by the embassy, is taking a case to a rights commissioner on behalf of two workers who said such fees were being deducted.
Mr Michael Wall, the union's Wexford branch secretary, said work permit fees were paid by employers and he had never before encountered one attempting to recoup them from staff.
The embassy consul, Ms Kozik,told The Irish Times yesterday that the Department had confirmed in writing that the matters raised would be investigated.
Contacted yesterday, Ms Patricia Nolan of Nolan Transport said she knew nothing about the embassy's complaints as it was the first she had heard of them.
The company would not be in a position to respond to the allegations this week as she was too busy. She could not say when it might be able to respond.
