Garret Ahearn (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Minister of State, a former Seanadóir, back to the House. I thank the Minister of State and his officials for the work they have done on this. It is funny that for years I only knew of work permits as things that soccer players coming from abroad needed to be able to play in the UK. In the last number of years they have become a big thing in Ireland. The reason for this is because of job creation in the country in the past ten years. We are almost at a point now, with the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment, where the State has created almost 900,000 jobs. To go from where we were in 2011 to where we are now is a phenomenal achievement. We are now in a situation that to fill the jobs being created by employers across the country, we need to look to the EU and further afield for workers. Last year, for example, some 40,000 people availed of work permits to take up positions in key roles, as the Minister of State referred to, that cannot be filled. Many of them are well qualified to perform those roles. It is a really important thing that we have at the moment to be able to bring people in to do these jobs.

The changes being made in this Bill are important because they are to do with seasonal workers. The changes recognise that seasonal work is an important element, particular in areas like mine in Tipperary, in the horticulture sector, with fruit picking, for example.We need it to make changes to support employees and employers in that area.

As the Minister of State and all of us who deal with matters in our counties are aware, free movement of persons on work permits from one position to another within a sector has been difficult for several years. The changes being made by the Minister of State to make it easier to move positions, within the same sector, without having to get a new work permit are important. This has an impact in my county of Tipperary. Last year, 531 work permits were issued. As public representatives, we often hear about work permits that have not been issued or have been cancelled, but the numbers in that regard are very small. Of the 531 issued last year, just over 30 were refused and just over 40 or 50 were withdrawn. The numbers withdrawn or refused are quite low. So far this year, 50 applications have already been approved by the Department. That shows the interest in this area and that these are important positions.

It is important to protect employers and ensure they can get people in to work, but we also need to protect employees. As the Minister of State stated, they deserve decent pay. The changes he made just before Christmas in that regard reflected that the people who are coming are well qualified and that needs to be recognised in pay. I acknowledge that work permits bring challenges for employers. If they have a certain amount of people who are on work permits, that increases their costs. It is no different from the changes we have made to the minimum wage or sick pay legislation or anything else that has been brought through. These are the right things to do, but they bring challenges for employers.

It is important to welcome this legislation. I thank the Minister of State for the work he is doing. He has a keen interest in this subject, but also in Tipperary in general. He was in Tipperary a few weeks ago to meet people on issues connected to his Department, whether relating to retail, work permits or the wider enterprise and trade portfolio. That was very much appreciated. Obviously, the Bill has the support of the Fine Gael Party in the Seanad.