Ms Fiona Ward:

When we were undertaking the 2018 review of the economic migration policies, one of the things that was done as part of that review was a review of the labour challenges that were then in the agrifood sector, in particular among certain occupations in the agrifood sector such as horticulture workers, meat processing operatives and dairy farm assistants. In the context of the broader review, the review agreed seven guiding principles that would underpin the employment permits regime going forward, one of which is that the employment permit holders be net contributors to the economy and the State, and that they would not have recourse to social welfare and social security benefits. In terms of addressing and identifying that particular wage threshold, we had regard to what was the minimum wage at that time and where that wage would leave the permit holder.