Louise O'Reilly (Dublin Fingal, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

It strikes me there is work to be done if the skills exist and the shortfall to be met is small.

I wish to ask about the suggestion that the labour market needs test be amended to take account of modern advertising methods and to deepen the involvement of the Department of Social Protection in that process to maximise the opportunities for residents and EEA jobseekers. It is important we take account of the skills that already exist in the domestic market. I do not think that is happening. That is my assessment from talking to people who have some of those skills and live in my community. From my reading of this, it will move from legislation into regulation. It would only require a short miscellaneous Bill every so often to come before the House, which would provide an opportunity for us to have a discussion and scrutinise it. This is an area that has not been scrutinised heavily enough. I have a concern about moving it into the area of regulation and while I do not suggest it would deny or prohibit us, it would mean we would not the opportunity to debate it. It is not an overly onerous task. It is what we are paid to do. We have a role to play in having that level of oversight. If it is moved into regulation it would be moved further away from scrutiny. Ms Ward might indicate the thinking behind moving it into regulation.