UN Special Rapporteurs have raised concerns to the Irish Government about alleged exploitation, mistreatment and risks to people’s safety in relation to the permit scheme for non-EU fishermen here.

Sixteen potential human trafficking victims have been identified by an organisation that has threatened the Government with High Court proceedings unless it halts a permit scheme used by the fishing industry.

One of the country’s largest fisherman’s organisations has condemned the treatment of four Ghanaian fishermen who may have been the victims of human trafficking — and is offering to help seek work for them.

The Workplace Relations Commission’s inspection regime for the country’s fishing vessels has been described as “ineffective” after it emerged that it has only recovered just over €6,000 in owed wages.

The owners of the UK-registered fishing vessel detained in West Cork almost a fortnight ago over a number of irregularities has reportedly agreed to pay €23,000 in wages owed to Indonesian crew members.

Indonesian crew members of the UK-registered ship detained in West Cork last week walked off the vessel last night and sought to be put up by Irish officials to enable them to plan for a journey hom.

Indonesian crew members of the UK-registered ship detained in West Cork last week walked off the vessel last night and sought to be put up by Irish officials to enable them to plan for a journey home.

A persistent and widespread cockroach infestation, poor living conditions, and issues with crew entitlements are alleged to be among the problems discovered on a fishing vessel detained in West Cork.

Ryanair could be legally forced to recognise trade unions.

A Ghanaian fisherman has claimed he was put into a survival suit and dumped into the ocean off the Irish coast because he was unable to work, writes Stephen Rogers of the Irish Examiner.

A Ghanaian fisherman has claimed he was put into a survival suit and dumped into the ocean off the Irish coast because he was unable to work.

The Workplace Relations Commission detected 157 contraventions of employment legislation in the fishing industry in 2016 including 28 people on boats who were working illegally, it has been confirmed.

Despite new regulations which came into effect two months ago, fishing boat owners are continuing to flaunt regulations around the employment of non-EU nationals, it has been claimed.

Just 53 of the 500 permits have been sought by boat owners for non-EU fishermen on their vessels, even though the permits are required by law from next Monday.

A Government taskforce set up to investigate allegations of mistreatment of non-EU fishermen working in the industry here will today be told those fishermen must not be made scapegoats for poor conditions in the industry.

The International Transport Workers Federation has said the Garda National Immigration Bureau must launch an “active, purpose-built investigation” into the alleged exploitation of non-EU nationals in the fishing industry.

The family of an Egyptian fisherman who died when the Tit Bonhomme trawler sank off Glandore, Co Cork, three years ago has settled its High Court action for €262,700.

The Government is to offer grant aid to fishermen to help them buy personal locator and vessel location beacons as part of a wide-ranging safety package aimed at the industry.

A huge cargo ship detained in Dublin Port for non-payment of its crew was sold by court-ordered auction yesterday for €4.8m.

The State body tasked with checking the seaworthiness of vessels entering Irish ports has been accused of neglecting its duty to inspect a ship which docked in Limerick and which was alleged to be unsafe.

The lives of dockers in Irish ports are being put at risk because they are working alongside seamen who are “drunk” through lack of sleep, it has been claimed.

MARION COLLINS — one of the army of local volunteers who doled out soup and sandwiches to search teams — knows more than most the perils involved for those trying to eke out a living from the sea.

AN international trade union representing workers in the fishing industry has lodged a complaint with RTÉ over its Skippers programme, claiming it ignored major health and safety and worker abuse issues that are plaguing the industry.

The High Court will decide tomorrow if it is to continue an injunction against SIPTU, the Irish Congress of Trade Unions officials and employees of a cargo handling company involved in a strike at Dublin port over the alleged harassment and intimidation of staff at the firm who have continued to work.

High Court proceedings against Siptu, the Irish Congress of Trade Unions officials and employees of a cargo handling company involved in a strike at Dublin port over the alleged harassment and intimidation of staff who are continuing to work have been adjourned.

Siptu, the Irish Congress of Trade Unions officials and employees at a company involved in a strike at Dublin port have denied that they have harassed or intimidated staff who are continuing to work.

A cargo handing company involved in an industrial dispute has secured a High Court injunction preventing anyone harassing threatening its employees who have continued to work during the strike.

YET another ship belonging to a Latvian shipping company has been detained because it owes its crew members thousands of dollars in unpaid wages.

Former trade unionist Tony Ayton has died following a long battle with cancer.

AN INVESTIGATION has been launched into complaints that workers on board Irish Ferries’ newest ship are being paid less than half the minimum wage.

IRISH FERRIES formally named its new €50 million ferry, Oscar Wilde, in Dublin Port yesterday as the company again faced criticism about pay and conditions for staff working on its vessels.

THE rights of trade unions to take industrial action against the use of cheap labour from Eastern European nations were bolstered by recommendations issued at the European Court of Justice yesterday.

The owners of the Merchant Brilliant cargo ship are expected to meet representatives of the International Transport Workers Federation in Dublin today in an effort to resolve a row over unpaid wages.

THE International Transport Workers Federation (ITF) has finally tracked down a Russian company which it believes has not paid crew members of a ferry for up to four months.

THE company which chartered the vessel at the centre of allegations of massive underpaying of crew members, has told unions it will do what it can to ensure all outstanding monies will be paid to the seamen by Thursday.

A VESSEL supplying one of the country’s leading supermarkets with much of its stock is to be exposed by a trade union for paying crew members as little as $1.31 (€1.01) per hour.

Trade unionists from across the UK are to travel to Holyhead tomorrow for a rally in support of Irish Ferries workers.

A row between management and unions which has led to the cancellation of services on the Irish Sea by Irish Ferries intensified today.

Two Irish Ferries ships remained tied up in Wales this morning due to a stand-off between workers and management over the company's controversial "outsourcing" plan.