Garret Ahearn (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

With regard to work permits, the last time the Minister was at the committee, 70% or 80% of the conversation for the two hours was about work permits, whereas today one speaker referred to it briefly. The Minister might expand as to where we were and where we are now, and what measures he and the Department have put in place to improve the situation dramatically? Certainly, from the calls I have been getting from businesses that were applying for work permits, the waiting time has dropped dramatically and the level of requests coming in from people applying for a work permit has dropped as well. The Minister might expand on this, although he referred to it in his contribution.