The Government is to begin a recruitment drive to help with the shortage of workers in the horticulture sector.
Following controversy over the arrival of almost 200 workers to pick fruit for Keelings this week, the Government said that seasonal workers are critical to the agricultural sector in terms of harvesting, planting and tending functions, especially in the current season.
“The Government is aware that a chartered flight brought 190 people to Ireland this week for fruit picking work,” it said in a statement.
“The number of people travelling to Ireland has fallen by more than 95% since the start of the COVID-19 emergency. The Irish border, including airports, remains open to support the supply chain for essential cargo and essential workers, as well as the repatriation of our citizens.”
Employer supports
It said that the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine has been working closely with the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection to ensure employers are aware of the supports for business to help them source labour from the domestic economy.
“A national recruitment campaign will start shortly with the aim of recruiting a large number of temporary workers for the horticulture sector from the live register within Ireland. This campaign will be timed for the fruit harvest peaking in mid-May to mid-June and the vegetable harvest from mid-June,” it said.
It added that anyone arriving from outside Ireland must comply with the Department of Health guidelines with regard to COVID-19 requirements and restrict movements for 14 days.
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The Government is to begin a recruitment drive to help with the shortage of workers in the horticulture sector.
Following controversy over the arrival of almost 200 workers to pick fruit for Keelings this week, the Government said that seasonal workers are critical to the agricultural sector in terms of harvesting, planting and tending functions, especially in the current season.
“The Government is aware that a chartered flight brought 190 people to Ireland this week for fruit picking work,” it said in a statement.
“The number of people travelling to Ireland has fallen by more than 95% since the start of the COVID-19 emergency. The Irish border, including airports, remains open to support the supply chain for essential cargo and essential workers, as well as the repatriation of our citizens.”
Employer supports
It said that the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine has been working closely with the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection to ensure employers are aware of the supports for business to help them source labour from the domestic economy.
“A national recruitment campaign will start shortly with the aim of recruiting a large number of temporary workers for the horticulture sector from the live register within Ireland. This campaign will be timed for the fruit harvest peaking in mid-May to mid-June and the vegetable harvest from mid-June,” it said.
It added that anyone arriving from outside Ireland must comply with the Department of Health guidelines with regard to COVID-19 requirements and restrict movements for 14 days.
Read more
Keelings defends flying workers to Ireland
Bord Bia to provide €1m in marketing grants for food and drinks businesses
UFU takes aim at Doherty & Gray over Polish beef
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