Sorca Clarke (Longford-Westmeath, Sinn Fein)
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177. To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if he will review the State’s employment policy which permits non-EEA citizens to work as carers in hospitals and nursing homes but not in home care; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16670/22]

Damien English (Meath West, Fine Gael)
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Ireland operates a managed employment permits system maximising the benefits of economic migration and minimising the risk of disrupting Ireland’s labour market. 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. The lists are subject to twice yearly evidence-based review.

Changes announced in June 2021 provided access to the General Employment Permit for non-EEA nationals wishing to take up employment in the State as a Nursing Auxiliary or Assistant (Health Care Assistant) in hospital/nursing home settings. The changes announced did not include the home care sector.

The results of the most recently concluded review were announced on 28 October 2021. While submissions from the home care sector were considered, the review did not recommend removal of the occupation of care worker/homecarers from the Ineligible Occupations List as the evidence suggested that the contracts of employment on offer and employment terms and conditions being offered are factors in the recruitment challenges faced by the sector, rather than a demonstrable labour market shortage.

The sector would need to demonstrate a more systematic and structured engagement with the Department of Social Protection, efforts to recruit locally and further information on the sectors terms and conditions.

My Department is a member of the Cross Departmental Strategic Workforce Advisory Group recently established by the Department of Health in relation to the recruitment and retention challenges faced by the sector.

My Department will continue to review the employment permits system on a bi-annual basis in light of changing labour market circumstances and intends to launch the next review of the Occupations List in the coming weeks.