Sinn Féin propose motion in Dáil calling for European Ferries Directive
Sinn Féin spokesperson on Employment Arthur Morgan TD has called on the Government to adopt a Sinn Féin motion before the Dáil that calls on the European Commission to urgently introduce a European Ferries Directive, to deal with ships operating in European waters under flags of convenience.
Speaking today deputy Morgan said, "This morning I tabled a motion in the Dáil on behalf of the five Sinn Féin TD's calling on the European Commission to urgently introduce a European Ferries Directive, to combat 'social dumping' on ferries and set minimum labour standards in order to ensure an end to the exploitation of workers on intra-EU Passenger and ferry services.
"Last week, when I raised the possibility of dealing with this issue at a European level with the Minister of State with responsibility for Labour Affairs Tom Killeen TD, he said he was 'quiet taken with the idea of dealing with this at European Level' but he felt there was nothing the Government could do. Well now there is an opportunity for the Government to do something positive. I am asking the Government to give over time to discuss this motion and adopt it in order to increase pressure on the European Commission to proceed with a Ferries Directive that was abandoned last year following a failure to reach agreement at the Council of Ministers.
"A ferries Directive will not be delivered overnight nor does it represent a solution to the crisis at Irish Ferries but what is happening at Irish Ferries, including previous evidence of maltreatment of workers illustrates the urgent necessity for such a Directive. It is not good enough for the Government to continually repeat their rhetoric about supporting workers rights while at the same time standing idly by and allowing Irish Ferries to exploit workers in this way. I would urge the Government to adopt this motion and all parties in the house to support it." ENDS
Text of motion below:
"That Dáil Éireann
- Denounces the exploitation of workers on board ferries operating under flags of convenience out of Irish and EU ports.
- Notes that a draft Directive on passenger and ferry services was proposed by the European Commission in April 1998 (COM/98/0251), approved by the European Parliament in March 1999 and that a revised proposal was issued in 2000 (COM/2000/0437), but withdrawn in August 2004 following the failure to reach a final agreement at the Council of Ministers.
- Calls on the European Commission to urgently introduce a European Ferries Directive, to combat 'social dumping' on ferries and set minimum labour standards in order to ensure an end to the exploitation of workers on intra- EU Passenger and ferry services"
- Arthur Morgan, Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin, Sean Crowe, Martin Ferris, Aengus Ó Snodaigh