"Irish migrant fisher workers' scheme breaches human rights, say UN rapporteurs", 18 Feb 2019

Ireland's work permit scheme for migrant workers in the fishing industry breaches the human rights of migrants and may be failing to prevent modern slavery, four United Nations human rights experts said...

The system, introduced in 2016, leaves workers tied to a single employer meaning they are vulnerable to abuse, the special rapporteurs on migrants, racism, slavery and trafficking said in a joint letter to the Irish government...

"We are concerned that a number of migrant workers in the fishing industry may be victims of trafficking in persons for the purpose of forced labour or labour exploitation."

The Department of Justice and Equality said it took any allegation of exploitation very seriously and would examine the concerns raised in the letter.

The Aypical Working Scheme (AWS) was "a multi-faceted approach to tackling exploitation in the fishing industry," a spokesman for the department said...

The AWS is intended to give migrant workers from outside Europe a legal route to work on Irish fishing vessels and ensure they get proper contracts and earn at least the minimum wage.

Critics of the scheme say it has not stopped abuse...