Taoiseach must raise Irish Ferries issue at EU Council meeting - Sinn Féin MEPs

13 December, 2005

Mary Lou McDonald and Bairbre de Brún

Sinn Féin MEPs Mary Lou McDonald and Bairbre de Brún tonight called on the Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern to raise the issue of Irish Ferries at the European Council meeting and asked for the 2002 Ferries Directive proposal
to be re-tabled.

Both MEPs made their comments after meeting with EU Commissioner for Transport Jacques Barrot in Strasbourg this evening.

Ms Mc Donald said:

“We briefed Commissioner Jacques Barrot on the detail of the Irish Ferries dispute. He understands fully the implications of the actions of Irish Ferries and he shares our concerns.

“We explained to the Commissioner that the practice of using flags of convenience is not only unacceptable but it is wrong. This trend will lead to a situation where workers throughout Europe lose out as standards
plummet.

“Following our meeting with Commissioner Barrot this afternoon, we are calling on the Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern to raise the issue of Irish Ferries at the European Council meeting on Thursday and Friday of this week and to
ask for the 2002 Ferries Directive proposal to be re-tabled.

Ms de Brún said

Commissioner Barrot told us that the Commission had brought forward proposals in 2002 that would have prevented such a situation arising. However, member states governments wouldn’t wouldn’t agree to them.

One of the arguments advanced against the Commision’s proposed Ferries Directive in 2002 was that the number of seafarers affected was not a huge number. The Commissioner told us that he will revisit this issue and is keen to establish numbers of seafarers now affected.

The two MEPs said:

“Mr Barrot was left in doubt as to the scale of support for the five hundred plus workers at Irish Ferries who are due to be replaced with exploited migrant labour. The groundswell of support for the workers at Irish Ferries was borne out on the streets of Dublin last week when up to 100,000 people marched in defiance against the bargain basement approach to workers rights across the EU. It is imperative that we continue our
defence of the rights of workers - to do otherwise will signal a green light to those who think it is acceptable to treat people with disdain.” ENDS