Selected Articles

Below is a selection of recent articles by Eoin Bassett which are available for download. Please choose from one of the article categories on the right or click on the title of any article below to download a full pdf.

Industry & Labour Relations


Burning Questions

Calls for an independent investigation into the recent deaths of two retained firefighters have fallen on deaf ears, while the establishment of a new national fire authority; recommended five years ago in the Farrell Grant Sparks review of the fire services, has yet to become a reality.

Emergency Services Ireland, March 2008

Urgency for Agency Reform

Ireland has the highest proportion of temporary workers in the EU and responsibility for their well-being at work is a grey area. With talks currently ongoing about reforming the realm of employment agencies, Eoin Bassett takes a look at who exactly is responsible and what is likely to happen.

Health and Safety Times,

All at Sea

Recent reports of poor working conditions on seagoing vessels have highlighted a gap in the enforcement and inspection of health and safety on ships. Massive containers are being moved through Irish ports by untrained and sleep-deprived seafarers and it seems no authority is on board to tackle the problem.

Health and Safety Times, September 2008

Not Mushroom for Safety

The mushroom industry is under a cloud; infamous for appalling working conditions and an almost total lack of health and safety standards. Workers are mostly foreign women who often find themselves subject to the vagaries of unscrupulous employers. Things are improving, but are the changes coming fast enough?

Health and Safety Times, May 2008