Farm Employment Seminar
IFA Farm Employment Seminar – 12th December 2018
The IFA Farm Employment Seminar was held in response to the increased labour needs of our members. These stem from the fact that Ireland has now reached full employment and many of the workers from other EU countries who had come to Ireland in the last 20 years are going back home to avail of work opportunities as their domestic economies have improved.
Hence, many farmers in the horticulture, pigs, poultry and other sectors are losing their workers and finding it extremely difficult to recruit replacements.
In addition, some sectors such as the dairy sector, have experienced significant growth in recent years. To manage larger herds, some farmers will seek outside labour for the first time, and are inexperienced employers.
Our Seminar touched on the main considerations for farm employers, whether first time or established. From the legal rights and obligations of farm and all employers towards employees, to acquiring the necessary people managing skills, to making one’s farm an attractive place to work to attract and retain prospective employees, to how to apply for a labour permit to recruit a worker from outside the EU/EEA.
Our seminar also presented the experience of the Farm Relief Services in recruiting workers from Ireland, the EU and beyond, and the experience those workers have had on farms.
Finally, Revenue outlined the new provisions for PAYE modernisation which are coming into force in January 2019 and will apply to all employers no matter how few employees they have.
You will find all the presentations below, complete with links to further information and contact details for the various organisations should you wish to find out more.
Programme
Michael Ivory, Workplace Relations Commission: The legal rights and obligations of farm employers
Abigail Ryan, Teagasc: How to make your farm an attractive place to work (people, skills facilities etc.)
Kieran Harrington, Department of Business, Enterprise and Innovation: Applying for a labour permit for workers from outside the EU/EEA – the dos and don’ts
Padraig Madden and John Brosnan, Farm Relief Services: The FRS experience employing Irish, EU and non-EU farm workers
Vincent Kenrick, Revenue Commissioners: PAYE modernisation