Trawler worker granted bail

A fisherman arrested after he failed to produce valid identification will appear before court again next month, after he was granted bail yesterday.

Mohamed Elfallah, with an address at 6 Calendar House in Drogheda, Co Louth, had been arrested by gardaí in Union Hall in West Cork on Wednesday. He later appeared before a district court in Macroom on charges contrary to section 12 of the Emigration Act 2004.

Mr Elfallah appeared before Judge James McNulty in Bandon District Court yesterday on the charges of failing to produce valid identification.

The nationality of the 23-year-old fisherman had not been referred to in court, but it is understood he is from Egypt. Mr Elfallah was granted a legal aid certificate and was granted bail on his own bond of €500. There was no Garda objection to bail.

The court heard a copy of the man’s passport had been provided to gardaí in Drogheda and then sent on to authorities in Cork.

Judge McNulty said: “This man has been living in Ireland for two years. That is what I was told today.”

Mr Elfallah will appear before Skibbereen District Court on December 8.

It is understood he had been working on an Irish-registered trawler.

There has been a renewed focus on the fishing industry since The Guardian published a lengthy story earlier this week alleging some migrant fishermen are being exploited, working around the clock in what the paper described as “inhuman conditions” for little pay.

The controversy prompted the government to establish a special task force to investigate the claims.

While fish producer representatives said they were confident their members were not involved in the exploitation of migrant workers, migrant rights groups and the International Transport Workers Federation said they had been made aware of concerns in recent years and urged action to protect workers.