Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 27 January 2026
777. Deputy Erin McGreehan asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration if he has received any reports or intelligence regarding undocumented or irregularly documented workers being employed on Irish-registered fishing vessels; the number of joint operations carried out with the SFPA, Gardaí and immigration authorities in the past five years targeting such abuses; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6594/26]
View answer778. Deputy Erin McGreehan asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration in the context of EU migration and asylum screening regulations, if all new arrivals are being fingerprinted and entered onto a common European database to prevent multiple identities being used in different Member States; whether this system is being fully utilised in respect of individuals involved in the fishing industry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6596/26]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 777 and 778 together.
Implementing effective border security arrangements is a priority for me as Minister. The Programme for Government commits to developing a border security strategy to deliver stronger border security, ensuring technology supports border screening and to reviewing the potential of extending pre-clearance mechanisms, such as electronic travel authorisation, for travel from designated third countries. This work is underway.
Non-EEA Sea Fishers seeking employment on Irish-registered vessels are required to apply for a General Employment Permit before they can travel to Ireland. If they are a visa-required national, they also need to apply for an employment visa before travel. Once in the State, Sea Fishers are required to register with my Department before being issued with an immigration permission. As part of the registration process, applicants are also required to provide biometrics.
Inspectors of the Workplace Relations Commission are responsible for carrying out port inspections of fishing vessels from to check compliance with employment rights legislation. Inspections carried out by the Sea Fisheries Protection Authority (SFPA) come under the responsibility of the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine.
In relation to the taking of fingerprints in the context of the EU Pact on Migration and Asylum, Ireland participates in the Eurodac Regulation which requires certain categories of third-country nationals to provide their biometric data (which includes fingerprints) for the purposes of a search on the Eurodac database.
A search on Eurodac allows Member States, including Ireland, to verify if an asylum seeker has already made an application for international protection in another Member State. As part of the Pact, a recast of the Eurodac Regulation has been adopted, and this is being given further effect in Irish law as part of the International Protection Bill 2026. The new Regulation also expands the use of Eurodac from beyond asylum to certain other purposes, including for certain law enforcement purposes.
The categories of third country nationals required to provide biometric data for the purposes of a Eurodac search include applicants for international protection, persons who have been apprehended in connection with the irregular crossing of an external EU border, and persons who have been found illegally staying on the territory of a Member State. Both the Eurodac Regulation itself and the International Protection Bill contain safeguards in relation to the use of the personal data provided for the purposes of the Eurodac system.
The Border Management Unit of my Department is responsible for front-line Immigration at Dublin Airport only. Other airports and other ports of entry are the responsibility of the Garda National Immigration Bureau and the information sought by the Deputy has been requested from them.
