Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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600. To ask the Minister for Health if he was consulted by the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment in relation to the recent expansion of work permits, the feedback provided in relation to permit requirements and salary rates in the healthcare sector; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55869/21]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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The employment permits system is operated by the Department of Enterprise Trade and Employment and is designed to facilitate the entry of appropriately skilled non-EEA nationals to fill skills and or labour shortages. The system is managed through the operation of the Critical Skills and Ineligible Occupations Lists which determine employments that are either in high demand or are ineligible for an employment permit where there is a surplus of those skills in the domestic and EEA labour market.

As part of the most recent review of the occupations lists, officials from my Department engaged in discussions with officials from the Department of Enterprise Trade and Employment in respect of submissions received relating to the health sector. The submissions received from the home care sector were considered by the Department of Health, Department of Enterprise Trade and Employment and the Interdepartmental Group for Economic Migration Policy in the context of this review.

The results of this review w ere announced on 28 October 2021. The review did not recommend removal of the occupation of care worker/home carers from the Ineligible Occupations List as the evidence suggested that the contracts of employment on offer and employment terms and conditions being offered are significant factors in the recruitment challenges faced by the sector, rather than a demonstrable labour market shortage. It was not considered appropriate to make any changes to the eligibility for employment permits for home carers on this occasion as there was insufficient evidence that the issue is not one of terms and conditions.

The sector has also previously been advised that a more systematic and structured engagement with the Department of Social Protection needs to be demonstrated. The next Occupational Lists Review will open in the coming months and submissions from sectors will be invited through a public consultation by the Department of Enterprise Trade and Employment.