Undocumented workers part of ‘fabric’ of Irish life

The Migrant Rights Centre of Ireland (MRCI) has called on the Government to extend its focus on the issue of undocumented migrant crew in the fishing industry to all low wage sectors.

MRCI director Edel McGinley, who addressed the new Government taskforce on the issue on Thursday, paid tribute to Minister for Marine Simon Coveney for his “leadership” on the issue.

“Unfortunately, this issue is not confined to the fishing industry but persists across many low wage sectors such as domestic work, care work and the restaurant industry,”she said.

The Government taskforce on "allegations regarding the treatment of workers on Irish fishing vessels" was established under Mr Coveney's chairmanship earlier this month, after The Guardian published an investigation into allegations of illegal and exploitative use of foreign nationals on Irish fishing vessels.

An MRCI delegation, which included Filipino fisherman who had been working on an undocumented basis in Ireland for the last five years, was invited to address the second task force meeting on Thursday.

“Like the Irish undocumented in the USA, undocumented migrants are part of the fabric of Irish life, many working and living in our communities long term - some for over 15 years,” Ms McGinley said afterwards.

Spot checks

The MRCI has recommended introducing sector-based regularisation, with clear criteria granting access to employment, along with a sectoral agreement with the fishing industry which sets out terms and conditions for workers.

Pending establishment of this, it has called for suspension of the practice of “spot checks” targeting vulnerable workers.

Mr Coveney had referred on Thursday to Garda and Naval Service "raids" which occurred over the past week. One arrest has been made – of an Egyptian crewman – so far, according to gardaí.

Fishing industry groups argue they have long-sought introduction of a work permit scheme and have expressed fears that a “knee-jerk reaction” will force vulnerable crew underground.

The MRCI said a “firewall” between the State’s labour inspectorate and the Garda National Immigration Bureau was required, as joint inspections by both bodies tended to focus on the immigrant’s status, rather than on compliance by the employer.

‘Bureaucracy’

In a joint presentation to the task force, industry organisations stated that “illegal, undocumented non-EU fishermen in Ireland could well be a result of the difficulties experienced by vessel owners who gave up in despair/frustration at the bureaucracy involved”, with some resorting to outside agencies to meet crew shortages.

“ In 2015 so far there have been 20 permits granted in the fisheries/agriculture sector out of a total of 5,140 ie 0.4 per cent,”the industry delegation said.

The MRCI has called for allocation of resources through the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund to focus on the protection of workers in the industry and ratification of the International Labour Organisation Work in Fishing Convention.

It has called for initiation of “intelligence-led” investigations into human trafficking routes and recruitment practices in all labour sectors, and introduction of a system of swift identification of and protection for victims of trafficking.