Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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I would like to discuss a few of those short-term issues. The work permits and visas seem to be a pinch point. I am hearing stories of it being impossible to get appointments for renewing visas. There are an awful lot of sectors visibly struggling with recruitment. Mr. McDonnell explained that a number of complex issues are coming to bear on this. Is there scope for easing work permit terms to respond to some of these shortages, particularly those that look to be long term, such as in construction and retrofitting? There seem to be definite long-term issues we need to address.

I welcome that SCARP will go live in November. Is there any risk that it will not hit its start date? This will be time-sensitive. What are the sorts of things that are provoking companies that might go down? Obviously there are some businesses that have had structural shifts and they will probably not go back to where they were. Others may be struggling with landlords or banking issues. Do we now have protocols for how SCARP will deal with some of these big institutional sources?

My next question relates to long-term structural shifts. It seems that apprenticeships are going to be a crucial part of the long-term future. To what extent is the Department building into its support schemes some conditionality, or at least an audit, around the extent to which the sectors it supports are taking up these apprenticeship opportunities that now carry grant support? That has to be part of it. I would say the same of the circular economy and climate issues. The early moving companies that moved to get their houses in order will be the more competitive ones in five years' time. To what extent does the Department build into its support audit an anticipation of those changes?

When the National Competitiveness and Productivity Council, NCPC, was before the committee, it highlighted the continuing issue of high legal and insurance costs, as has Mr. McDonnell. Can the Department start to survey the experience of the client companies it supports so we can name and shame? I know people are frustrated with the reform initiatives that are going on but they are happening. There is the work of the Personal Injuries Assessment Board, PIAB, the change in the book of quantum and so on but these initiatives are not yet having the desired impact on premiums. Can the Department do that?

Are the witnesses looking at the changing nature of town and city centres as a result of these structural shifts? The Department always spoke about place-making. To what extent is it putting its money behind that concept of rebuilding town and city centres to be more liveable and having new activities in them?