Cathy Bennett (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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329. To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if he will consider adding the early learning and childcare sector to the list of occupations that need a minimum salary of €30,000 per annum to qualify for a general employment permit, to allow the childcare sector fill the gap in qualified Irish childcare sector workers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [65929/25]

Alan Dillon (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Ireland's employment permits system is designed to facilitate the entry of appropriately skilled non-EEA nationals to fill skills or labour shortages in the State in the short to medium term. This objective must be balanced by the need to ensure that there are no suitably qualified Irish or EEA nationals available to undertake the work and that the shortage is genuine.

The system is managed through the operation of the Critical Skills Occupation List and the Ineligible Occupations List that set out skills that are in high demand or employments that are not eligible for consideration for an employment permit. The standard Minimum Annual Remuneration for a General Employment Permit is €34,000, and €38,000 for a Critical Skills Employment Permit, with a relevant degree, or €64,000 without a relevant degree.

More broadly, new Employment Regulation Orders (ERO) came into effect on 13th October 2025, providing for minimum hourly rates of pay and other conditions of employment in the sector. The EROs apply to approximately 35,000 staff working in the Early Years and School-Age Childcare sector. It is estimated that around 23,000 of these workers will benefit from increased wages as a result of the new minimum pay rates introduced through the EROs.

The Occupations Lists are subject to periodic review which includes a public consultation inviting submissions from interested stakeholders to provide their observations and experiences for changes, based on evidence. Receipt of submissions to the current review which I launched earlier this year closed on Friday, 19th of September. I can confirm that submissions related to this role have been received under this consultation period. Officials from my department are currently engaging with other government departments with responsibility for various sectors of employment, including the Department of Children, Disability and Equality' to consider these submissions and the evidence provided. A report containing recommendations will be prepared in the coming months.