Seafarers will continue to suffer despite Government promises to crack down on abuses in the shipping industry, according to the International Transport Workers' Federation (ITWF) representative in Ireland, Mr Tony Ayton.
Responding to last week's statement in the Dáil by the Minister for the Marine and Natural Resources, Mr Fahey, promising extra resources to enforce international labour laws, Mr Ayton said Mr Fahey failed to address the central issue of ensuring owners of vessels flying flags of convenience (FoC) paid adequate wages, sick pay, pensions and other basic entitlements.
"The provision of extra resources is, of course, welcome," Mr Ayton said, "even if it is not the first time the Minister has made such a proposal, but the question of FoCs is a different matter."
"Ireland signed up to an international treaty to board and inspect at least 25 per cent of all ships visiting our ports. The staff of the Department of the Marine did a great job, but they never had the resources to reach the internationally agreed target."
Only 7.5 per cent of vessels were inspected in 1999, but this increased to 14.5 per cent in 2000 and 21.1 per cent last year. A spokesman for Mr Fahey said 10 extra surveyors were being appointed this year and Ireland would meet its obligations. "We are fully signed up to all the international labour conventions", he said.
The spokesman said Mr Fahey had undertaken a number of major safety initiatives since his appointment two years ago.
Mr Ayton accepted that many of the worst abuses seafarers suffered were outside the remit of the Department's inspectorate. These included very low pay rates, failure to pay employees and lack of overtime, holiday pay, sick pay, pensions and industrial compensation for accidents.
Mr Ayton, a full-time SIPTU official on secondment to the ITWF, said: "It is unhelpful for the Minister to stand up in our national parliament and make comments that his Department has a system in place which is effectively tackling all the problems faced by seafarers visiting Irish ports, and that at international level he is actively involved in further enhancing their rights. The only way to tackle the problems of seafarers created by the FoC system, is to have all ships registered in, and only in, the country of beneficial ownership," said Mr Ayton.
Mr Fahey's spokesman said recent changes in the tonnage tax had made it more attractive for Irish shipowners to register their vessels here and most were now doing so.