Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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527. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the reason persons residing in direct provision who are awaiting the outcome of applications to remain in the State cannot work if they have the appropriate qualifications and in particular in circumstances in which there is a shortage of workers for the area they are qualified in. [54192/21]

Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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528. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the number of persons that have been approved permission to access the labour market in Ireland from 2017 to date by county in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54195/21]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 527 and 528 together.

As the Deputy will be aware, international protection applicants are not required to apply for an employment permit from the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment to legally obtain employment in the State. Access to the labour market is provided under the European Communities (Reception Conditions) Regulations 2018 to 2021. These Regulations transpose the EU (recast) Reception Conditions Directive and came into operation from 30 June 2018.

The Regulations provide access to both employment and self-employment for any applicant who has not received a first instance decision within 6 months of making their international protection application and provided that they have cooperated with the international protection process. Applicants who are eligible for a labour market access permission can access all sectors of employment and occupations with the exception of those that require a citizenship or long-term residence requirement, such as the Civil and Public Sector, An Garda Síochána and the Irish Defence Forces.

Applications are made to the Labour Market Access Unit of my Department. If the application is successful, a labour market access permission is granted, which is valid for 12 months from the date of issue and may be renewed until a final decision is made on the person's international protection application.

Up to and including 31 October 2021, a total of 9,546 applications have been received for a labour market access permission. Of these applications, approximately three quarters (7,248) have been granted and 2,132 have been refused, with a further 117 applications pending. The pending figure includes applications which have not yet reached the 6 months criterion, and those where the return of requested supporting documents is awaited and may therefore ultimately become granted applications.

Of the applications granted a permission, a total of 4,422 have returned their LMA5 form to my Department indicating that they have found employment.

The statistics requested by the Deputy are provided in the table attached to this response. As the labour market access began from 30 June 2018, there is no data available for permissions granted in 2017.