Alan Farrell (Dublin Fingal, Fine Gael)
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164. To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the consideration that has been given to adding physiotherapists and occupational therapists to the critical skills occupations lists in order to ease demand in the healthcare sector; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3479/22]

Damien English (Meath West, Fine Gael)
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The State's employment permit system is designed to supplement Ireland's skills and labour supply over the short to medium term by allowing enterprises to recruit nationals from outside the EEA, where such skills or expertise cannot be sourced from within the EEA at that time.

The system is, by design, vacancy led and managed through the operation of the occupation lists: the critical skills list in respect of skills that are in critical shortage in the labour market and the ineligible occupations lists for which a ready source of labour is available from within Ireland and the EEA.

Changes to the employment permit occupations lists are made where there are no suitable Irish/EEA nationals available, development opportunities are not undermined, genuine skills shortage exists rather than a recruitment or retention problem and Government education, training and economic development policies are supported.

The occupations lists are subject to twice yearly evidence-based review and take account of research undertaken by the Skills and Labour Market Research Unit (SOLAS) and the Expert Group of Future Skills Needs (EGFSN), a public consultation process, input from the relevant policy Departments and the Economic Migration Inter-Departmental Group, chaired by the Department. Account is also taken of contextual factors such as Brexit and, in the current context, COVID 19.

Changes which were announced in June 2021 removed a number of Health Care occupations from the Ineligible Occupations List including Chartered Physiotherapist and Occupational Therapist. This provides access to the General Employment Permit for non-EEA nationals wishing to take up employment in the State as a Chartered Physiotherapist or Occupational Therapist.

In accordance with Employment Permit legislation, in order to ensure that job opportunities are made available to Irish and EEA nationals, employers must satisfy a Labour Market Needs Test before a General Employment Permit can be issued to a non-EEA national. This policy fulfils our obligations under the Community Preference principles of membership of the EU.

The next review of the Occupations Lists will open in the coming weeks by Public Consultation.