Written answers

Thursday, 21 June 2018

Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation

Skills Shortages

Photo of Kevin O'KeeffeKevin O'Keeffe (Cork East, Fianna Fail)
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126. To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation her plans to resolve the issue of the serious shortage of chefs here. [27187/18]

Photo of Heather HumphreysHeather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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In March 2017, following a review of the Highly Skilled and Ineligible lists of Employment earlier this year, which included a public consultation, I announced the removal of certain chef grades from the ineligible occupation list. This means that if an employer is unsuccessful in filling a vacancy either domestically or from across the European Economic Area (EEA) it can be filled by a suitably qualified non- EEA national.

The changes to the Employment Permit Regulations, which came into effect from 26thMarch 2018, involved removing the following chef grades from the ineligible list:

- Executive Chef with minimum of 5 years’ experience at that level

- Head Chef with minimum of 5 years’ experience at that level

- Sous Chef with minimum of 5 years’ experience at that level

- Chef de Partie with minimum of 2 years’ experience at that level

My decision to remove certain chef grades from the ineligible lists will ensure that there is a mechanism to address the shortage of qualified chefs in the short-term. I have applied a quota of 610 employment permits to ensure that in the longer term the demand for chefs is met from a steady supply in the Irish labour market and to that end I am aware of the work that is underway to increase the supply of chefs through training initiatives such as the development of a new Commis Chef Apprenticeship and a Chef de Partie Apprenticeship.

An Interdepartmental Group (IDG), chaired by the Department of Business, Enterprise and Innovation, is currently reviewing the economic migration policies underpinning the employment permits system, the purpose of which is to ensure that current policies are fully supportive of Ireland’s emerging labour market needs, be they skills or labour shortages in certain sectors.  A full report with recommendations on a framework for the future operation of the employment permits regime is due by the end of June.

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