Irish Government should act over trafficking and abuse of migrant seafarers

One of the more unusual aspect of my two decades plus working as a Union official for the old Transport and General Workers Union was dealing with support to foreign seafarers who found themselves in difficulty in the Isle of Man and had for example to be repatriated because of a domestic crisis in their home country.

I also met regularly with the Isle of Man Shipping Register officials and pressed them to ensure good standards for foreign crewed Manx registered vessels (I wonder does the Manx TUC still do that - I doubt it!).

More recently via the Celtic League I cooperated with the New York Times journalist Ian Urbina in his ‘Outlaw Ocean’ series that highlighted abuse of seafarers and fishermen and in this regard lobbied both the IMO and ILO.

I was therefore surprised and alarmed to read recently that migrant fishermen are being trafficked into Ireland and exploited and the Irish government is seemingly not engaging with the International Transport Federation on the matter.

I’ve written to the Minister responsible Charles Flanagan TD and respectively suggested that Ireland should take a lead on this issue and not prevaricate (text below):

“The Minister for Justice and Equality
Charles Flanagan TD
51 St Stephens Green
Dublin

19th May 2018

By email

Dear Minister,

I am writing to you to express concern about the plight of migrant fishermen employed under the ‘permit scheme’ as highlighted by the International Transport Federation.(see link):

https://www.rte.ie/news/2018/0517/964232-fishermen-migrants/

As a member for many decades of the Union movement (and a former full time official of an ITF member Union) I was pleased some years ago when your Departmental predecessor moved to try to address shortcomings in the treatment of migrants working in the fishing industry in Ireland. It’s clear in hindsight that the scheme introduced had deficiencies although the intent to address abuses is still in my view to be applauded. However the added alleged dimension from the IMF of trafficking in labour should be one that rings alarm bells for your Department

I think Ireland and its government singularly within the EU has tried to address this challenging and complex area and I do hope that good sense will prevail and your Department and indeed the Irish government will engage with the ITF to ensure what are - in some instances - very vulnerable workers are properly protected.

Bernard Moffatt

3 ImmanStronnag
Peel
Isle of Man”

Image: Charles Flanagan TD Irish Justice Minister