Winkle pickers left to brave elements on island

THIRTEEN Eastern European migrant winkle pickers were rescued from an exposed island off Skerries in North County Dublin where they were left abandoned in severe weather conditions.

Yesterday, gardaí and the Department of the Marine had launched separate investigations into the circumstances under which the Eastern Europeans had been left on the island to pick shellfish at the weekend.

The employer who left the group stranded on theisland had serious questions to answer, Green Party leader Trevor Sargent said.