Damien English (Meath West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

This is an area of priority. Most stakeholders with whom I engage in this sector across the different Departments wanted the review of the atypical working scheme prioritised as soon as possible. To be honest with the Deputies, that is where a lot of our work has gone in. That review is to be completed. The recommendations and the report went to Cabinet a few weeks ago, and we can get on with that work to replace the atypical working scheme with the work permit scheme. That will be beneficial to everybody. Most Members of the House will agree that was the right area to concentrate our work on.

Since the launch of the atypical working scheme in February 2016, the WRC has been involved in closely monitoring it. In particular, during the period from when the scheme was launched to 31 October this year, it carried out 530 inspections. It detected 392 contraventions and completed 251 investigations and 21 prosecutions. The WRC has also made 45 referrals to the Department of Transport in respect of potential contraventions of the hours of rest and working time regulations enforced by that Department. There has been ongoing monitoring. This is to do with the next part that the Deputy is concerned with as well.

A number of information awareness measures have been introduced by the WRC since 2016 to enhance employment rights awareness and compliance in the fishing industry. In order to enhance these measures, the WRC consulted last December with 16 relevant stakeholders who were requested to make written submissions in relation to, among other matters, possible additional outreach measures for fishing vessel owners and migrant fishers. Submissions were received subsequently from five of the 16 stakeholders. The WRC 2022 report on the outcomes of these consultations sets out a range of actions, including some 23 measures and initiatives currently being progressed. Such measures include: information provision; awareness and promotion; and direct engagement with officials, vessel owners and representative organisations, taking in training and use of communication and social media channels.

There is much change afoot in the sector, and rightly so. Those need to be driven across Departments as well. We are willing to play our part and have been doing so.

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