Colm Burke (Cork North Central, Fine Gael)
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153. To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if he will confirm that his Department is currently accepting new employment permit applications for the role of dairy farm assistant, in view of the fact that dairy farmers are having difficulty in recruiting employees; if the quota has been filled for this role; if so, when his Department will be accepting new applications; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52833/22]

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 designed to accommodate the arrival of non-EEA nationals to fill skills and labour gaps for the benefit of our economy, in the short to medium term, and is managed through the operation of the Critical Skills and Ineligible Occupations Lists which determine roles that are either in critical short supply or are ineligible for an employment permit.

In October 2021, in light of the continued labour shortages in the agriculture and agri-food sector, I announced a new quota of 100 General Employment Permits for dairy farm assistants subject to a minimum annual remuneration of €30,000.

All Agriculture quotas were opened with a proviso that a strategic review on labour attraction and retention in the sector is carried out in order to put in place more sustainable solutions for meeting the labour needs of the sector into the future.

All of the 100 General Employment Permits established under this quota for Dairy Farm Assistants have now been granted. Therefore, any new applications received in respect of this role will be returned. A notification to this effect was placed on the Department’s website on 30th September 2022.

The Occupations Lists undergo periodic review and a public/stakeholder consultation. My Department chairs the Interdepartmental Group to oversee the review process which includes membership drawn from senior officials of key departments including the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine who have policy responsibility for this sector.

The aim of the Group is to promote an integrated approach to addressing labour and skills shortages being experienced in the economy and is guided by relevant research. This includes assessing proposals received through the public consultation for changes to the Occupations Lists.

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

The Department continues to keep the employment permits system under review in light of changing labour market circumstances and the timing of the next Review of the Occupational Lists will be kept under consideration.