Paul Murphy (Dublin South West, RISE) | Oireachtas source

The International Transport Federation, ITF, and Kitty Holland, writing in The Irish Times, have shone a light on the super exploitation taking place on fishing boats in Irish waters. Companies are routinely ignoring the laws around the atypical work permit scheme, instead preferring, in many cases, to have unregistered people working below the minimum wage in unsafe conditions. One indication of just how widespread this practice is is that there are only 189 live permits in the system for the 160 vessels registered with the scheme.

Who exactly is crewing these boats? Two of these, Egyptian workers, almost died when the FV Ellie Adhamh sank in March. They are now stranded without jobs or permits, without any income or without a way home. They have blown the whistle on the conditions in this sector. Multiple investigations are now taking place by different State agencies. Will the Taoiseach intervene to ensure these workers are able to access work and social protection payments while the investigations are ongoing?

See this speech in context