Written answers

Wednesday, 13 July 2016

Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine

Fishing Industry

Photo of Mick BarryMick Barry (Cork North Central, Anti-Austerity Alliance)
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219. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine subsequent to the establishment of the atypical worker permission mechanism, established to allow the owners of Irish fishing vessels regularise the status of undocumented non-European Union migrant crew, if he has received any representations seeking to increase the number of permits available beyond 500 or any other amendment to the scheme; and if so, to provide details of same. [21499/16]

Photo of Michael CreedMichael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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Immediately following the publication of claims of possible exploitation of undocumented migrant workers on Irish fishing trawlers in The Guardian newspaper, an interdepartmental task force was established by the Government to examine the specific issues identified in the newspaper report and to make recommendations on appropriate actions. Reflecting the complexities of the issues raised and the existing work ongoing concerning migrant workers across a number of sectors, the task force consisted of high level representatives from the Departments of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation; Justice and Equality; Transport, Tourism and Sport; Agriculture, Food and the Marine; Social Protection; Defence; the Workplace Relations Commission; the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service; the Marine Survey Office; the Health and Safety Authority; the Revenue Commissioners; the Attorney General’s Office; An Garda Síochána; BIM; the Naval Service and the Sea Fisheries Protection Authority.

The report of the Government’s interdepartmental Task Force on Non-EEA Workers in the Irish Fishing Industry recommended the establishment of a sector-specific Atypical Worker Permission system which will provide a structured and transparent framework for the employment of non-EEA workers within defined segments of the Irish commercial sea-fishing fleet.

The Atypical Working Scheme is administered by the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service of the Department of Justice and Equality. My Department’s role relates solely to hosting the Central Depository for the purpose of registering the contracts and supporting documentation under the Scheme in order to ensure that the cap of 500 is not exceeded. I have been informed by the Irish Naturalisation & Immigration Service, that it has granted to date Atypical Worker Permissions to 131 applicants. My Department has not received representations seeking to increase the number of permits available beyond 500

The Task Force recognises the importance of employment in the fishing industry to Ireland’s coastal communities. Therefore, in recommending that the number of Atypical Worker Permissions under the new Scheme, which applies to non-officers, be capped at 500, the Task Force was cognisant that any mechanism designed to assist with the employment of non-EEA workers should not impact unduly on the employment of local populations in coastal communities. The Task Force based the cap on employment data from the Marine Survey Office and BIM and took account of the longstanding sea-fishing boat licence condition that at least 50% of the crew on Irish fishing vessels are EU nationals.

The Task Force recommended that, during the first three months, the Scheme should be open to existing crew members only. My Department received a request to extend this three month window. I understand that the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service, which administers the Scheme, extended this window to 30th June 2016. From 1st July 2016, all non-EEA workers intending to work in the fishing industry must first obtain an Atypical Worker Permission from INIS and Visa clearance, if applicable, prior to entering the State.

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