A Sligo based Labour party senator is backing calls from trade unions to end unpaid internships it says exploit young workers.
The party is urging the Government to use Ireland’s Presidency of the European Union to help progress the proposed EU Traineeships Directive, which would ban exploitative unpaid internships.
Labour workers’ rights spokesperson Senator Nessa Cosgrove says the legislation was first proposed by the European Commission more than two years ago but has yet to receive final approval. She says Ireland should use its position to help move the directive forward.
Senator Cosgrove has been giving more details to Midwest Radio’s Stephen Grealis…
In a statement from the department of enterprise, a spokesperson has said..
“The proposed Traineeship Directive, published in March 2024, lays down a common framework of principles and measures to improve and enforce the working conditions of trainees and to combat employment relationships being disguised as traineeships. The European Council adopted its General Approach on 19 June 2025, which Ireland supported. Significant progress has been made in the negotiation of this proposal to date, most recently by the Cypriot Presidency, and we commend and thank them for their efforts.
As Ireland takes over the Presidency of the European Council, we are committed to progressing this important piece of European legislation in any way possible over the course of the Presidency. We will endeavour to reach a compromise that is true to the aims of the proposal, while addressing the interests and concerns of all relevant stakeholders.”
