Fiona O'Loughlin (Kildare South, Fianna Fail)
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605. To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if the critical skills list will include the need for planners in view of the housing crisis; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14990/18]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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At present, ‘Town Planning Officers’ are not listed on the Highly Skilled Eligible Occupations List however applicants are eligible to submit an application for a General Employment Permit, subject to the usual criteria that apply to that permit type.

The State’s general policy is to promote the sourcing of labour and skills needs from within the workforce of the State and other EEA states. Where specific skills prove difficult to source within the State and wider EEA, an employment permit may be sought by an employer to hire a non-EEA national.

It is imperative that the employment permits system remains correctly oriented to meet the State’s emerging labour market needs, be they labour or skills shortages. My Department is currently undertaking a review of our economic migration policy to ensure that it is supportive of the State’s labour market needs. An Interdepartmental Group is in place to steer the review with the principle objective to consider the policy rationale for the employment permit system where the economy is improving and the labour market is tightening. The review process includes a public consultation phase with participation from all sectors and interested parties. The timeframe for submission of the report is by end of June 2018.

The Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government is participating on this Interdepartmental Group reviewing the employment permits regime and housing related employments are being considered in that context.