The Migrant Rights Centre Ireland (MRCI), which works with migrant fishermen employed on Irish boats, has welcomed the publication today of the ‘Report on the situation of non-EEA crew in the Irish Fishing Fleet under the Atypical Worker Permission Scheme’ by the Joint Committee on Business, Enterprise and Innovation.
Edel McGinley, MRCI Director, stated:
“We welcome this report and its recommendations, many of which match our own assessment of the issue. In particular we welcome the recommendation that a worker not be tied to one employer – it is essential that workers be able to leave exploitative employers.”
We also strongly support the Committee’s recommendation that all undocumented non-EEA nationals in the Irish industry should be regularised within 6 months. Undocumented workers are always more vulnerable to underpayment and exploitation. Their struggles can no longer be ignored: urgent action is needed to prevent further exploitation and abuse in Ireland.”
“The committee also recommended the vital provision of extra resources to the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) to continue inspections, highlighting the need for access to interpreters, and suggested that one Minister and Government department be given overall responsibility in this area. MRCI calls on Minister Heather Humphreys and the Department of Business, Enterprise and Innovation to take up this role.”
“The implementation of these recommendations would be a huge step towards better and safer working conditions for migrant fishers in Ireland.”
NOTES
Link to Committee press release and report: http://www.oireachtas.ie/parliament/mediazone/pressreleases/2017/name-45371-en.html
Read MRCI’s report on exploitation on Irish fishing boats: https://www.mrci.ie/press-centre/severe-exploitation-persists-on-irish-fishing-boats-says-new-report-11122017/
