Gerald Nash (Louth, Labour) | Oireachtas source

Concerns about exploitation of vulnerable migrant workers in this sector are global in nature. In order to address the complex array of issues facing the State in monitoring compliance with workplace legislation in the fishing industry, the Government established a task force a few weeks ago on allegations regarding the treatment of workers on Irish fishing trawlers. Arising out of the conclusion of the task force’s work last week, we now have a scheme in Ireland to assist such workers.

I welcome the agreement reached by members of the task force, which saw all Government and State agencies involved in the sector coming together to come up with a solution. This cross-departmental approach makes the scheme robust and fair, as well as helping to reduce the potential for migrant workers in this sector to be abused by unscrupulous employers. That is the aim of the scheme. The agreement provides that non-EEA nationals will enter into a new employment relationship with an employer in the State, as opposed to being share fishermen, which has been the predominant model in the sector. As such, they will be guaranteed all appropriate employment rights and protections during their period of employment and the WRC will have a remit in respect of compliance with employment rights legislation and enforcing these workers’ rights. Inspections regarding enforcement of legislation relating to the rest periods and maximum working time of seafarers and fishing vessel crews will continue to be undertaken by marine surveyors of the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport.

Complementary to the new scheme, the powers of the inspection service of the Workplace Relations Commission, WRC, have been broadened under the recently enacted Workplace Relations Act to empower WRC inspectors to board vessels to enforce the full suite of employment rights legislation for non-EEA workers who will be employees under this scheme.

It is the Government's stated intention to see a memorandum of understanding put in place by the relevant State enforcement bodies to provide for a rigorous and effective cross-agency inspection scheme. I am chairing a sub-group of the relevant enforcement agencies in order to ensure that this memorandum is in place before the commencement of the scheme. The sub-group will hold its first meeting shortly. Strong enforcement and inspection is absolutely essential to the success of this new regime.

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