New EU states comprise 30% of horticulture workers
The industry employs over 18,500 people full-time across the food and gardening sectors and is the country’s third largest agricultural enterprise. Current estimates indicate that four in every 10 horticultural workers employed at primary production level are from outside Ireland.
To coincide with EU enlargement, Bord Glas and the Health and Safety Authority (HSA) have compiled a guide to promote health and safety awareness. Bord Glas chief executive Michael Maloney said the joint initiative recognises the multicultural nature of the Irish horticultural workforce. The guide is available in English, Latvian, Lithuanian, Polish and Russian and can be seen on www.bordglas.ie and www.hsa.ie.
HSA chief executive Tom Beegan said with the accession of the new member states, Europe will become the largest and most dynamic economy in the world.
“This will present us with great opportunities but also many challenges including the language issue,” he said.
The seasonal workers horticultural scheme, run by Bord Glas and Macra na Feirme has placed over 400 students, mainly from new states as well as Ukraine. Macra president Thomas Honner said the scheme was vital to Irish horticulture. Bord Glas has produced a video on horticultural work to assist foreign workers settling in Ireland.
