Gerald Nash (Labour) | Oireachtas source

I thank Senator Ruane for raising an important issue regarding the human rights of some vulnerable people in institutions here and the lack of enforcement of international law as it applies to the vulnerable. I want to raise an issue of concern in respect of how a vulnerable group of people who work in Ireland are treated by the system. In doing so, I wish highlight an article, written by Ms Felicity Lawrence and the Irish journalist, Ms Ella McSweeney, in today's edition of The Guardian, that draws attention to the human rights abuses of migrant fishermen who are working in the Irish system. Troublingly, this condemnation comes not simply from a politician, a trade unionist or somebody from an NGO, but from four high-ranking UN rapporteurs on human rights, trafficking, modern slavery and racial discrimination. I read the letter because I received it last week from the International Transport Workers Federation, the union operating to protect the interests of seafarers. It is a damning indictment of how we treat migrant fishermen in this country. The rapporteurs believe that the atypical permanent scheme in place at present leaves migrant workers open to exploitation, trafficking and human slavery.That is a shocking indictment of this country. One of the problems is that the visa is tied to just one employer. One can imagine a vulnerable migrant worker putting a hand up to say they have not been paid, have been worked to sickness and are not being protected. If they put their hand up, they lose that right to work here because they have overstepped the mark with their employer when they are tied to that one employer. We can imagine all of the problems associated with that.

I have personally dealt with a considerable number of migrant fishers from north Africa who, in my opinion and in the opinion of the UN rapporteurs, are being exploited, are in a very vulnerable position and are not being protected by the atypical permits scheme in place here at the moment. I am on public record as challenging that scheme in this House, in the media and elsewhere. The scheme needs to be scrapped and the Ministers for Justice and Equality, Agriculture, Food and the Marine, and Business, Enterprise and Innovation need to work with the International Transport Workers' Federation to ensure we have a pipeline of workers from outside of Europe and the EEA states who are willing and able to work in the fishing industry in this country, but that they are protected and there is a scheme in place that respects their human rights, vindicates their rights and supports them. At the moment, this scheme is simply not working and it is open to abuse and to exploitation. I want to hear from the Minister for Justice and Equality what he is going to do about this.