Ms Niamh Brennan:

I do not think the model is going to be the issue, to be honest. The issue will be the turnaround time for those permits when they are put in place. The model is clear. We need workers to be brought in for six, nine or 12 months, depending on the sector in question. The Departments involved will have to work together. The Departments of Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Justice and Agriculture, Food and the Marine will have to work together on this point because it needs to be 100% transparent.

We need the visas to align with the work permits or we are going nowhere. That is the key issue we have at the minute. To expand on that, there are huge issues on the general employment permits where mushroom growers, in particular, were awarded work permits but the visas have failed. There is no legislation there to provide them with a refund. That seems like madness, and that cannot happen in the seasonal work permit scheme. Mr. McCormack will probably touch on the cost as well. If one is bringing a worker for six, nine or 12 months, one cannot expect to pay €1,000 for each of those workers, on top of the recruitment fee involved with getting that.

I do no think there will be an issue around the model, if we can work that. The issue will be around the timing of the visas and of the processing of those permits. As the Senator is aware, the season is short and snappy. If you have a delay of a month, there is no point in bringing that worker in.