Richard O'Donoghue (Limerick County, Independent) | Oireachtas source

The labour supply is a huge issue in the agricultural and equine sectors. The pig and dairy industry are heavily reliant on labour. That is especially so in spring for dairy and throughout the year in the pig industry. Work permits are critical to the survival of the industry and also for the mental health of farmers who are trying desperately to keep in line with climate change and ensure the viability of their farms and piggeries.

I cannot stress enough the urgency of addressing the labour shortage. Does the Minister of State have any idea of the cumbersomeness and clunky nature of the process of applying for work permits for farm workers? A non-refundable charge of €1,000 is payable upfront and several advertisements must also be published in the local newspapers. Accommodation must also be provided to give a net income of €30,000. Shortages of labour for next spring stand at 500. This is not just about having an extra pair of hands but the survival of farms. In addition, there are continued charges to the immigration department.

Equally, it seems farmers must pay higher wages than the meat industry. That industry pays €22,000 annually for non-EU workers, while the farming industry pays €30,000, and more if farmers are using an agency. If the dairy, pig and equine sectors are to continue to expand and to contribute to the rural economy, someone will have to take charge and get this process up and running. Otherwise, there will be severe consequences. Examples would include impacts in the areas of the mental health of farm families and animal welfare. The equine industry is at its wits' end trying to get workers. It seems the most appropriate location for advertisements for roles in that industry isThe Irish Field, which is not considered to be an Irish publication and, therefore, cannot be used for the placing of advertisements. Could this application process be made any more difficult?

Currently, 2,181 applicants are waiting for permits. This covers the farming and pig industry, as I said, as well as the hospitality, haulage and construction sectors. I reiterate that 2,181 people are waiting for permits. Yet people are arriving here with no paperwork, because of the circumstances they are coming from, and we are providing them with refuge, which this is 100% right. Last week, I raised the issue of a large influx of men being brought into a town near us where women and children were already being housed. The same thing has now happened in Killarney. The Government has had to reverse this proposed action. Therefore, the Government did not learn from the issue I brought up last week and this has now happened again in Killarney. A total of 195 males were coming to that town. The Government was going to move the women and children out of a hotel. Again, there must be a small bit of cop-on.

The Government is not learning from its mistakes. It is not listening to the people on the ground. I have been in construction all my life and thank God I still am. Hopefully, my family will be able to continue in the business in future. Many people here who are in the farming sector and other sectors might not be as lucky because of the difficulty of being able to get people to help on farms and elsewhere. Why is this? Every time there is a change of Government, the regulations change for farming. It does not matter if we are talking about pig, dairy or beef farmers. The regulations change. These are the only sectors where the regulations are changed every few years by a city-led Government which has no understanding of rural living. The members of the Government understand it when they are sitting around the table and eating. They understand it when they go into a hotel and buy food but they have no understanding of how the food gets there. Therefore, this industry suffers every time under new Governments. This must change, as must city-based Governments and Cabinets.

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