A call was made for international trade-union campaigns to outlaw flags of convenience, as the Dáil debated the Irish Ferries move to replace 530 workers with "vulnerable migrant workers" and to operate under the Bahamas flag.
Tony Gregory (Ind, Dublin Central) led the private members' debate in which he condemned the employers' group Ibec for the support it gave Irish Ferries.
He warned that social partnership "will be dead if Ibec continues to support the Irish Ferries executive strategy of replacing trade-union rates of pay with half the minimum wage".
In a motion which called for a trade-union campaign to recruit migrant workers and to increase the number of labour inspectors to prevent exploitation, Mr Gregory also accused the Government of hypocrisy by pretending to be critical of the Irish Ferries proposal, yet paying a grant of millions for 150 redundancies on the MV Normandy and for those workers to be replaced in the same way.
He pointed out that it was the Labour Court which had recommended the Normandy deal and set a precedent for "this new Irish Ferries scandal", and he rejected the Government amendment which, he said, rejected claims that employment rights were in freefall in this State.
Catherine Butler (Ind, Kildare North) described the strategy as the modern equivalent of slave labour.
Minister of State for the Marine Pat "the Cope" Gallagher said it was not for him to determine an independent shipping company's business strategy, but there was no question of sub-standard shipping being allowed to operate into and out of Irish ports.
He warned against industrial action, which might jeopardise the economy by hindering importers and exporters
