Mr. Declan Hughes:

I do not have the details across the sectors, and I am not aware generally of whether the refusal rate is higher or lower. The key point is that there is a schedule of eligible occupations. In October, the Minister of State, Deputy English, launched a revised list. This was based on the third biannual review that was undertaken since the onset of Covid-19. The increases were to address some of the areas Senator Ahearn mentioned, in particular on the agricultural side. A total of 1,000 extra horticultural operatives were sanctioned, 500 meat deboners, 1,500 meat processing operatives, and 100 dairy farm assistants. Those areas are very much linked to what we hear and get from the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine. There is a seasonality element to it but it is also due to changes in work practices and activity.

I will make a couple of points that might be helpful. First, there is the trusted partner scheme which I mentioned. Businesses that might be seasonal, for example, rely on short-term key skills coming in from abroad. They should really go through the process ex anteand be on the list of trusted partners. It means then that when the applications come in they are essentially pre-approved. If the business has done its market tests, etc, that helps with the approval process.

More generally, some of the feedback I heard is that when applications are being made that they are not always complete and fully assessed in terms ofex antecompliance with the schedule of occupations and that the full detail is filled in. I can come back to the Senator with data on that. I am aware that the level of completeness of the application forms themselves is an issue. If any advice is needed, we can provide it to employers. There are various information sources. We have a very good website, which gets thousands of hits every week, but incomplete applications still come in and they are sent back. There may also be applications that do not fit with the list. First, is the job on the list and, second, if the application is complete, accurate and contains all the detail and that the applicant has gone through the various processes in terms of the market test, etc.?