Fiona O'Loughlin (Kildare South, Fianna Fail)
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185. To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the extent to which she can facilitate the construction sector by way of work visas for non-EEA countries in order to meet the shortage in this regard; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49737/18]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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The employment permits system is managed through the operation of the Highly Skilled Eligible Occupations List (HSEOL) and the Ineligible Categories of Employment List (ICEL). These occupations lists are reviewed twice yearly to keep pace with rapid labour market changes and to be proactively identifying and addressing shortages as they arise. My Department has commenced the Quarter 4 2018 review of the lists of occupations for employment permits with a public call for submissions from stakeholders and interest groups requesting changes to the lists. The closing date for receipt of submissions was Friday 2nd November 2018. Submissions have been received in respect of a range of occupations including the construction sector, and those submissions are now being examined.

In light of the changing economy and as we continue towards near full employment, it is imperative that the employment permits system is correctly oriented to meet the State’s labour market needs. To that end, I recently published a report reviewing the economic migration policies underpinning the current employment permits system to ensure our policies are fully supportive of Ireland’s labour market needs, be they skills or labour shortages in certain sectors. The report confirms that our employment permits system is largely robust with some adjustment required to ensure continued responsiveness, setting out recommendations to be addressed over the short, medium and long term that will ensure that our employment permits system will play its part in supporting Ireland's labour market needs.

In order to have an occupation considered for addition to the HSEOL, or removed from the ICEL, there would need to be a clear demonstration of current recruitment difficulties and shortages across the EEA and that difficulties are not as a result of other factors such as salary, employment conditions or lack of upskilling opportunities. Organisations in the sector would need to provide the necessary data to substantiate their claims. A detailed evidence-based case requesting the additional of an occupation to the highly skilled list would then need to be put forward by the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government as the lead Department for the sector, to my Department for review and consideration.

Minister Humphreys met with the CIF Representatives recently to discuss the labour and skills challenges in the sector and engagement is ongoing with her officials. A detailed submission made to her Department by the Construction Industry Federation is under active consideration, in consultation with officials in the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government who also sit on the Interdepartmental Group on Economic Migration.