Gerald Nash (Louth, Labour) | Oireachtas source

We are in a much better situation now. I reject any claims that the Government was less than swift to respond to reports as outlined in The Guardian. We acted very quickly to put the new system in place. The Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Deputy Simon Coveney, and I acted very quickly to put the new system in place to deal with this very difficult situation. It is useful to take a step back and consider what type of changes will be introduced. We have a new system of atypical work commission to be put in place for non-EEA workers for the first time. The scheme will provide that during the first three months, after its commencement, permissions will be limited to those non-EEA workers already operating on Irish fishing vessels. That is an opportunity for those who are here at the moment to regularise their situation. Cross sectoral pre-clearance systems ensuring a comprehensive, legally binding contract of employment will be put in place. Anybody who has concerns about how they are treated in the workplace has the same protections as everybody else in this country in terms of making complaints through the usual channels-----

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