William Aird (Laois, Fine Gael)
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263. To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if his Department will prioritise work permit applications for the diary sector given the time sensitive nature of the sector's labour needs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [68562/25]

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 which are subject to review. Each review takes account of research undertaken by SOLAS's Skills and Labour Market Research Unit and the Expert Group on Future Skills Needs and input from the Economic Migration Inter-Departmental Group which includes the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine.

My department has received a submission from the agri-food sector with regard to the role of dairy farm assistant to the current review which closed to receipt of submissions on Friday, 19th of September. Consideration of submissions and evidence supporting changes is currently in progress including where occupations that currently have assigned quotas are undergoing review. The final recommendations from this review are expected to be published at the beginning of 2026.

The role of dairy farm assistant has been provided with a quota of 1,100 General Employment Permits since eligibility was first introduced in 2018. This quota was exhausted in November 2025.

Typically, quotas are not automatically extended when they are exhausted and further engagement from the sector is generally required. Where a sector wishes to have a quota extended, or a role fully removed from the ineligible occupations list (i.e. not subject to a quota), evidence should demonstrate a continuing need for access to employment permits for the role, supported by the department with lead responsibility for the sector.

My Department regularly engages with the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine in relation to the eligibility for employment permits and quotas affecting the sector.

It is important to note that employment permit policy is part of the response to addressing skills deficits which exist and are likely to continue into the medium term. It is not intended to act as a long term substitute for meeting the challenge of up-skilling Ireland’s resident workforce, and is instead focused on maximising the potential of EEA nationals to fill our skills deficits.