Joe McHugh (Donegal, Fine Gael)
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76. To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if he will consider adding trained printers to the list of skill shortages which will facilitate supply shortages as in the case of companies (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47462/21]

Damien English (Meath West, Fine Gael)
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The employment permits system is designed to facilitate the entry of appropriately skilled non-EEA nationals to fill skills and/or labour shortages, in circumstances where there are no suitably qualified Irish/EEA nationals available to undertake the work and that the shortage is a genuine one.

The system is managed through the use of lists designating highly skilled and ineligible occupations. In order to maintain the relevance of these lists of occupations to the needs of the economy and to ensure their ongoing relevance to the State’s human capital requirements, they undergo twice-yearly evidence-based reviews. The reviews are guided by research undertaken by the Expert Group on Future Skills Needs (EGFSN), the Skills and the Labour Market Research Unit (SLMRU), SOLAS and involves public/stakeholder consultation. Account is taken of education outputs, sectoral upskilling and training initiatives and known contextual factors such as Brexit and, in the current context, COVID-19 and their impact on the labour market. Consideration is also taken of the views of the Economic Migration Interdepartmental Group, chaired by my Department and of the relevant policy Departments.

A number of printer roles are currently included on the Ineligible Occupations List at present. In order to add or remove an occupation from the lists, evidence is sought demonstrating that recruitment difficulties are solely due to genuine shortages across the EEA and not to other factors such as salary and/or employment conditions. The review process invites stakeholders, through the public consultation, to provide data to substantiate claims of lack of skills or labour availability in a detailed evidence-based business case. Sectors are also advised to engage in a systematic and structured manner with the public employment service of the Department of Social Protection.

A review of the occupations lists for employment permits is currently well underway with submissions received under active consideration. The Economic Migration Policy Unit of my Department informs me that no submissions were received from the print industry. It is expected that the review will be finalised in the coming weeks and any changes necessary to deal with verified skills or labour shortages will be made at that time. The next review will commence with a public consultation soon after, with commencement announced on the Department's website. Contact details may also be forwarded to the Department for those who wish to receive email notification of the consultation phase.