Pádraig O'Sullivan (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
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74. To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the number of employment permits approved for workers outside the European Economic Area to address skills shortages in Ireland’s dairy, transport and home care sectors since December 2022; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22031/23]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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In December 2022, changes to the employment permits system were announced to help address skills shortages in Ireland’s Dairy, Transport and Home Care sectors.

Since the changes were introduced, there have been 65 permits issued for the role of bus and coach driver, 68 permits issued for the role of farm worker, and 61 permits issued for the role of care worker/home carer.

Ireland’s employment permits 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. This objective must be balanced by the need to ensure that there are no suitably qualified Irish/EEA nationals available to undertake the work and that the shortage is a genuine one.

The system is managed by means of two Occupations Lists determining either highly skilled roles in critical short supply or those that are ineligible for an employment permit. The lists undergo regular, evidence-based review to ensure the system is aligned with current labour market intelligence, guided by relevant research and a public/stakeholder consultation. The views of the Economic Migration Interdepartmental Group and relevant policy Departments are also taken into consideration.

My Department continues to actively respond to the concerns raised by various sectors with regard to the critical short supply of skills in a number of roles crucial to the economy.