Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 15 September 2021
161. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the degree to which efforts are being made to source an adequate supply of operatives to facilitate the meat-processing sector, having particular regard to the serious backlog that currently exists affecting the island of Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43416/21]
View answerPolicy responsibility for food production, including meat processing, is a matter for my colleague, the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine.
Food Wise 2025 sets out a ten-year plan for the agri-food sector. It underlines the sector’s unique and special position within the Irish economy, and it illustrates the potential which exists for this sector to grow even further. The creation of 23,000 additional jobs all along the supply chain from producer level to high-end value-added product development are among the ambitious and challenging growth projections for the industry over the timeframe of the plan.
Ireland operates a managed employment permits system maximising the benefits of economic migration and minimising the risk of disrupting Ireland’s labour market. The employment permits regime is designed to facilitate the entry of appropriately skilled non-EEA nationals to fill skills and/or labour shortages in the State, required to develop and support enterprise for the benefit of our economy. However, 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 employment permits 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 consideration for an employment permit and these lists are subject to twice-yearly evidenced based review.
In May 2018 a pilot quota-based scheme was introduced to remove the occupations of meat processing operative, horticulture worker and dairy farm assistant from the ineligible occupations list. The scheme initially provided 250 general employment permits for the meat processing industry to address the immediate needs of the sector in sourcing labour. On foot of further evidence produced by the sector, in consultation with the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, it was decided to extend the pilot scheme on three occasions. A total of 2,500 permits were made available to meat processing operatives. A total of 660 permits have been made available for meat deboners. The extensions of the pilot scheme for meat processing operatives ensured that the sector’s immediate difficulties were addressed and the potential that a lack of available labour could constrict growth was minimised. Both these quotas are now exhausted.
In June 2021, I announced the outcome of the most recent review of the occupation lists with changes made in respect of certain occupations in the healthcare sector. No change was recommended in respect of the meat processing sector at that time, given the continuing uncertainty in the labour market caused by COVID-19.
A further review is underway at present with consideration of the 26 submissions received. The review is expected to be finalised in the early Autumn.
