Keelings, a major fruit producer in north Dublin, has advised Fingal County Council that it will cease investment in the area unless it is allowed to provide temporary accommodation for seasonal workers either on or beside its farms.
In a pre-draft consultation submission to the county development plan for 2017- 2023, Keelings said seasonal accommodation must be delivered at or close to the farm and “is best delivered through the provision of mobile home, portacabin or other similar type accommodation”.
The current Fingal Development Plan 2011-2017 says the labour demands of the horticultural industry in Fingal, including seasonal labour, requires the provision of acceptable standards of housing within existing towns and villages.
High costs
Keelings said the scarcity and high cost of rental housing in Dublin would deter seasonal horticultural workers from coming to the area.
In its submission, the company said it had invested €40 million in horticulture in Fingal since 1990 and provided 800 jobs. However, “no further investment can be made until solutions are available for suitable and affordable temporary accommodation for seasonal farm workers.
“If they are not available in Fingal, Keelings will have to look for production areas with a suitable and more facilitative planning environment.”
The county’s new development plan contains a provision for “new on-site residential accommodation for seasonal farm workers”.
Under a proposal before councillors, farms in north Co Dublin could be permitted to provide on-site residential facilities for as many as 200 seasonal workers.
Standards concern
The matter was due to be decided last week, but the vote was deferred until Monday after councillors voiced concerns about the standard of accommodation being considered.
The councillors had been asked to amend the draft development plan by increasing the maximum number of seasonal workers a land holding could facilitate from 100 to 200.
They were asked to amend the plan so that it read, “New purpose-built accommodation shall be provided in the form of a maximum 25-bed space unit”, instead of a previous maximum of 10 beds.
Many councillors from different parties said they disagreed with the proposals.
Cian O’Callaghan of the Social Democrats said he was “flabbergasted” that a motion had come before the council to lower the standard of accommodation for seasonal workers.
Independent councillor Paul Mulville said that "we're getting into Grapes of Wrath territory here", referring to the John Steinbeck novel about the plight of migrant fruit pickers in Depression- era America.
