Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 30 November 2021
141. Deputy Jackie Cahill asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if his Department has plans to issue work visas to non-EU nationals to take up employment driving buses for private bus operators considering the labour shortages at present are severely impacting this industry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [58373/21]
View answerThe employment permits system is designed to facilitate the entry of appropriately skilled non-EEA nationals to fill skills and/or labour shortages, in circumstances where 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 through the use of lists designating highly skilled and ineligible occupations. In order to maintain the relevance of these lists of occupations to the needs of the economy and to ensure their ongoing relevance to the State’s human capital requirements, they undergo twice-yearly evidence-based reviews. The reviews are guided by research undertaken by the Expert Group on Future Skills Needs (EGFSN), the Skills and the Labour Market Research Unit (SLMRU), SOLAS and involves public/stakeholder consultation. Account is taken of education outputs, sectoral upskilling and training initiatives and known contextual factors such as Brexit and, in the current context, COVID-19 and their impact on the labour market. Consideration is also taken of the views of the Economic Migration Interdepartmental Group, chaired by my Department and of the relevant policy Departments.
Bus and Coach drivers are included on the Ineligible Occupations List. In order to add or remove an occupation from the lists, evidence is sought demonstrating that recruitment difficulties are solely due to genuine shortages across the EEA and not to other factors such as salary and/or employment conditions. The review process invites stakeholders, through the public consultation, to provide data to substantiate claims of lack of skills or labour availability in a detailed evidence-based business case. Sectors are also advised to engage in a systematic and structured manner with the public employment service of the Department of Social Protection.
The most recent review of the Occupations Lists concluded on 27th October. In response to the public consultation, 29 submissions were received from a range of bodies including the Agri/Food, Hospitality and Transport/Logistics sectors. The Economic Migration Policy Unit of my Department informs me that no submissions were received for the occupation of Bus or Coach Drivers. While consideration of the impact of COVID-19 on the labour market had a significant influence on the outcome of the review, changes were announced to address the more immediate skills and labour shortages across key sectors.
The next review will commence with a public consultation in the coming months with commencement announced on the Department's website. Contact details may also be forwarded to the Department for those who wish to receive email notification of the consultation phase.
