Fishing vessel checks ‘are not effective’

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.

Minister of state for business, Heather Humphreys, who has responsibility for the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) and the Health and Safety Authority (HSA), which inspects vessels, said that it has 10 WRC inspectors with the relevant safety and survival training to carry out fishing inspections and investigations.

She said 181 fishing vessels come under the scope of the new atypical worker permission scheme for non-EU workers of which 174 are currently active or operational.