Malcolm Byrne (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I smile when the Minister of State mentions that the number of applications for work permits in September 2021 represented a 41% increase on September 2020, given that people were not allowed to travel and that we were in the middle of some of the big Covid challenges. I am disappointed, although I appreciate that the Minister of State is answering on behalf of his colleague.The name of the Minister of State's Department is the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment. If we want to support enterprise then where job vacancies exist we must ensure they are filled. It is not good enough that we have not seen as much progress as we should have. While I would be grateful to get a timeline on the employment permits Bill, I also seek an assurance that in six months' time, we will not be experiencing these difficulties because if we continue to do so, I predict that sectors of the economy will grind to a halt.