Barry Cowen (Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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462. To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation when a person (details supplied) will receive a decision on an application for a critical skills employment permit. [44723/18]

Barry Cowen (Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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469. To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation when a person (details supplied) will receive a decision on an application for a critical skills employment permit. [44948/18]

Barry Cowen (Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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474. To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation when a person (details supplied) can expect a decision on their application for a critical skills employment permit. [45097/18]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 462, 469 and 474 together.

The Employment Permits section of my Department inform me that an application for a Critical Skills Employment Permit for the person concerned was received on 1st October 2018.

As the Employment Permits section is currently processing Standard applications received on 24th July 2018, this application should be considered within the next 10 weeks.

The Employment Permits section has experienced high levels of demand for employment permits so far this year which has contributed to increased processing times for applications. At end October 2018, 13,953 applications had been received, a 28% increase on the same time last year.

In order to reduce processing times, the Employment Permits section has introduced a number of operational changes, streamlined processes and implemented ICT solutions. Additional staffing resources have also been assigned to the section and a fast track training programme has been devised.

As a result of the implementation of these changes, processing times are now reducing. Trusted Partner processing times have reduced to 5 weeks (from a peak of 7 weeks) and Standard application processing times have reduced to 15 weeks (from a peak of 16 weeks).

Further reductions in processing times are anticipated in the coming weeks as the changes being implemented by my officials continue to manifest.