Joe Sherlock (Cork East, Labour)
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Question 109: To ask the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources the number of immigrant workers from sister EU States and elsewhere working in the sea fisheries, aquaculture and sea processing industries; if worker displacement is taking place in the sector; the measures he and the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment are taking with regard to protection for these workers' wages and conditions, health and safety and to ensure that workers are not displaced in vulnerable coastal communities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33436/06]

John Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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The number of people employed in the catching sector, including the number of non-nationals (citizens of EU member states and citizens of third countries) is estimated annually by Bord Iascaigh Mhara. These data are collected as part of the national data collection obligation under Commission Regulation No. 1639/2001 (the Data Collection Regulation) and figures relate to the year prior to survey. The most recent completed and analysed survey is from 2005 and shows results for 2004. The results from the current, 2006, survey (showing results for 2005) will be available in the 1st half of 2007.

Results from the most recent, completed and analysed, survey in 2005, indicate that in 2004 a total of 5,037 people were employed in the catching sector.

Of these 3,627 were citizens of Ireland; 1,259 were citizens of other EU member states and 151 were citizens of third countries.

With regard to the aquaculture sector I am advised by Bord Iascaigh Mhara that, out of 1635 people employed in the sector in 2005, 24 of these were non-EEA nationals.

Data on the nationality of people employed in the processing sector is not available. I can, however, advise the Deputy that in 2005, 3,507 people were employed in the processing sector.

Protection for these workers' wages and conditions and health and safety are covered under the provisions of a number of Acts including the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 2005, the Organisation of Working Time Act 1997 and the Terms and Conditions of Employment Act. Statutory Instrument 709 of 2003 introduced by the Department transposes into Irish law the provisions of Council Directive 2000/34/EC which bring workers on sea-going fishing boats within the scope of the organisation of working time regime originally established by Council Directive 93/04/EC of 23 November 1993. These Regulations prescribe maximum hours of work and minimum hours of rest for workers on board sea-going fishing vessels, require records to be kept of their hours of work or rest and provide for enforcement measures.