Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 21 October 2021
4. Deputy Mick Barry asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the way the labour force survey of the Irish fishing fleet being conducted by a company (details supplied) on behalf of Bord Iascaigh Mhara will capture data relating to migrant fishers, both documented and undocumented; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51710/21]
View answerBord Iascaigh Mhara (BIM) is the State agency with responsibility for the sustainable development of the Irish seafood industry. While the matter raised is proper to BIM, it has provided information to assist in providing a full understanding of the issue being raised.
BIM advise that it has engaged INDECON Economic Consultants to carry out a survey of the labour force market for the Irish fish-catching sector funded under the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund. The aim is to develop proposals to help resolve the main constraints to recruitment in the fishing sector, with guidelines to ensure career development; to describe the way crew are employed; and outline the conditions and relevant tax and social welfare rules that apply across the catching sector. BIM advise that the study focuses on three categories of workers, share fishers, EEA PAYE workers and non EEA workers under the atypical scheme.
The Atypical Working Scheme was established as a Government response to concerns about the conditions of employment of non-EEA workers in the Irish fishing fleet. It put in place practical arrangements that enabled the risk of exploitation to be minimised while ensuring that reputable employers are enabled to recruit trained and experienced crew members. The role of my Department is to maintain the Central Depository of contracts and supporting documentation submitted under the Scheme.
I have spoken recently with James Browne TD, Minister of State at the Department of Justice and Damien English TD Minister of State for Business, Employment and Retail and heard their concerns about the current scheme. Those Ministers have requested a review of the scheme. I have agreed that my Department will participate in any review deemed necessary in order to provide further support for non-EEA workers in the fishing industry. An initial meeting of officials took place yesterday, Wednesday, to commence this process.
