Damien English (Meath West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

When we undertake the labour market analysis, we try to look at short-term solutions in addition to long-term trends. The permits operation should not be seen as a long-term solution. It is an absolutely temporary one, which we have used to respond to many sectors over the past year. The Minister of State at the Department of Health, Deputy Butler, is leading this and trying to put a strategy in place to deal with this matter. We will work very closely with her on that.

To focus on what the Deputy asked, and to be very clear, home carers are not on the critical list. At present, they are on the ineligible occupations list. If we are to change that, it has to be based on evidence that shows we need to change and facilitate the permit process to bring in people from abroad, outside the EEA, to allow them to work in this sector. The evidence is not proving that at present. A very clear process is set down. We have a consultation twice a year during which we go out to everyone for submissions, including all the various sectors that would have seen changes over the past year, to produce the evidence to back it up. We have engaged the Department of Social Protection, which can provide evidence at present that there is an interest at job fairs and through other recruitment processes that shows us people could be found closer to where workers are needed. It might not necessarily be to do with that, but at present there is a big ask of us to change this system. We will only do that based on very clear evidence.

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