Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy. The number of employment permit applications submitted to my Department increased significantly from 18,977 in 2019 to 16,449 in 2020, then to 27,719 in 2021 and to just over 35,606 last year, which resulted in a backlog in applications. The Department developed an action plan to reduce this backlog and the employment permit processing timelines. Following the successful implementation of the plan, the employment permits unit has reduced the number of applicants awaiting processing from approximately 11,000 in January last year to just over 900 on 20 February this year.

Despite further strong demand, the Department received almost 36,000 employment permit applications in 2022. Processing times have fallen from 21 weeks to four to seven business days. The Department plans to maintain processing times for all applications at this level - in other words, a person can get it done in a week - on the assumption that estimated demand remains at current levels for this year. The employment permits unit has also introduced a range of measures to assist applicants in their applications. User guides and dedicated checklists have been developed, as well as a series of video guides produced in conjunction with Fáilte Ireland that detail the steps involved in completing and submitting an employment permit application.

From 16 January of this year, the Department commenced screening all general employment permit applications across a small number of key mandatory criteria to ensure compliance with the requirements of this permit type. Should the application fail to provide the required valid information, it will be returned with a comprehensive explanation and a full refund. This new process will provide early notification of failed applications while also ensuring that valid applications are processed in a speedy and efficient manner.

From October of last year, the Department introduced a new system to refund fees electronically directly through credit or debit cards used to pay for the application. This has resulted in refunds being made within days as opposed to the multiple weeks this process would have previously taken. In addition, the Department has recently appointed IT systems specialists to undertake the design and implementation of a new online employment permits system with the aim of delivering further efficiencies and an improved customer experience.

An efficient and responsive employment permit system is a critical component to ensure that talent is attracted to Ireland from non-EEA countries. I am committed to improving the efficiency of administrative processes and making services more customer friendly to the benefit of both employers and potential employees.

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