The Fine Gael MEP Sean Kelly says employer demands for passwords to social media sites such as Facebook should be outlawed. 

He says some employers are seeking password information to vet what prospective employees are saying on their private social media sites. 

Mr. Kelly is warning such requests should be banned and that employers are getting away with this practice at the moment because jobs are scarce. 

He says people do not want to risk jeopardising an employment opportunity by refusing to give details of their social media sites.

"If they refuse, they"re automatically more or less saying they won"t get the job" he said.

"But at the same time even they do give the password, they should really ask themselves "do I really want to be employed by a person like that" - because it will probably lead to something else down along the line".

"I know people are crying out for jobs, but there has to be an element of decency and respect" he added.

UK case

The calls come just a week after a British man who was demoted at work and given a pay cut after expressing his opposition to gay marriage on Facebook won a High Court case against his employers.

Adrian Smith was given a final written warning after posting that gay weddings in churches were "an equality too far".

Despite the comments not being visible to the public the trust said he broke its code of conduct by expressing religious or political views which might upset co-workers.

He lost his managerial position and had his salary cut by 40%  by the Trafford Housing Trust.

But Mr. Justice Briggs ruled in his favour saying the trust did not have a right to demote Mr. Smith as his Facebook postings did not amount to misconduct and was a breach of contract.