The ILO Work in Fishing Convention, 2007 was adopted at the 96th session of the International Labour Conference on 14 June 2007. The Convention aims to ensure decent conditions of work in fishing regarding minimum requirements for work on board, conditions of service, accommodation and food, occupational safety and health protection, and medical care and social security.
As this Convention is an international agreement, primary legislation will be required in the first instance to allow us to ratify the Convention. In this regard, officials in my department are working on a general scheme for a planned Merchant Shipping (International Conventions) Bill. This is at the preparatory stages, prior to seeking Government approval for its drafting in due course. It is hoped that such approval will be received in the first half of 2024. The main purpose of the Bill is to provide the required legislative framework for Ireland to become a party to several international maritime conventions. Progress of any such Bill is, of course, subject to pre-legislative scrutiny in the first instance followed by passage through the Houses of the Oireachtas. It is worth noting, in the meantime, that Ireland has transposed EU Directive 2017/159 which implements much of the social partners’ agreement concerning the ILO Work in Fishing Convention.
With regard to the Deputy's query in relation to enforcement of the provisions of the Convention on Foreign Flagged Fishing Vessels, this is a port state control matter and, as such, the WRC would have no role in relation to enforcement of labour standards aboard foreign flagged vessels with regard to ILO Working in Fishing Convention. This responsibility would fall to the jurisdiction of the relevant competent authority of the Flag State under international maritime law.
