Denis Naughten
Ceist:44 Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Innovation his plans to review work permit and green card schemes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19642/10]
Amharc ar fhreagraWednesday, 12 May 2010
Ceisteanna (9)
Freagraí ó Béal (9 píosaí cainte)
Since 2004, a key element of our labour market policy has been to ensure that general labour and skills needs are met from indigenous labour and from within the workforce of the European Union. For strategic skills or labour shortages in designated occupations in key economic sectors, our policy is to issue employment permits for the employment of non-EEA nationals for specific vacancies and in response to employer demand. The various schemes that give effect to such policies — green cards, work permits, spousal and dependant work permits and permits for intra-company transferees — were introduced following enactment of the Employment Permits Act 2006 and came into effect on 1 February 2007.
Currently, employment permit holders constitute approximately 1.2% of the total labour force. Given that our current employment permit arrangements were designed to be vacancy-driven, the number of permit applications and, consequently, the number of permits issued over the last two years have been showing a consistent downward trend.
In early 2009, we undertook a review of employment permit arrangements to ensure their ongoing relevance to the needs of the Irish labour market. As an outcome of this review, more stringent eligibility criteria were implemented for prospective new entrants to the work permit schemes from 1 June 2009 onwards. The main features of the new measures included expanding the ineligible list of occupations for which permits can be issued; increasing by 50% the fees charged at renewal stage for new permits issued after 1 June 2009; and a reduction in the number of occupations for which green cards are issued.
The Employment Permits Act 2006 allows for regular review of our economic migration policies and our Department keeps these policies under review, in line with the emerging needs of the labour market, on an ongoing basis.
I put it to the Minister of State that the lazy approach that has been taken on the reform of work authorisations, whether permits or green cards, is costing the Irish economy and costing potential Irish jobs. Is it not the case that three years ago there was a shortage of labour to fill job vacancies and now there is a shortage of jobs, and we need to attract people into this country who will create jobs?
I also put it to the Minister of State that what we have now is enterprising inaction within the Department rather than innovation. Is it not the case that his Department, along with the Department of Health and Children, has failed to reform the visa and work authorisations for non-consultant hospital doctors that is leading to a situation where accident and emergency departments will close this summer? Is it not the failure by the Minister of State and the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform to reform the international education sector that is costing us a potential 6,000 new jobs?
I congratulate the Minister, Deputy O'Keeffe on his appointment. One of the key recommendations of the Innovation Taskforce report is that incentives be provided to highly qualified students to remain in Ireland post qualification. What steps are being taken under the green card system to allow that to happen?
Can the Minister of State explain why a document published on the Department's website this month about green cards does not carry the correct title of the immigration service and nor does it show a link to its website?
I am not aware of the specific document to which the Deputy refers and I will revert to the Deputy. Our green card system is still very responsive to the areas mentioned by the Deputy. Green cards are still issued for ICT professionals such as computer systems managers, analysts, programmers and testers. Green cards continue to be issued for health care professionals, for all medical practitioners and for those working in areas in the health system where there are vacancies. This continues to be Government policy. For the information of the House, a total of 775 green cards were issued in 2009, which is one third of the number issued in 2008. All those permits were for occupations for which there were strategically important high level skills shortages. Green cards are issued according to enterprise priorities if those priorities cannot be filled from within the indigenous or EU labour force.
Why are green cards not issued for non-consultant hospital doctor posts? Why are green cards not issued for highly qualified PhD graduates, as recommended by the innovation task force?
I have two supplementary questions about work permits. In a parliamentary question on 9 February I asked the then Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment to supply the statistics on new work permits issued. I have not received a response as yet. Is it the case that the Minister of State is not monitoring the situation? Last month, the number of work permits increased by two thirds in the service industry in April of this year compared to last year, the highest recorded increase since December 2008. The Minister of State is asleep regarding what is happening.
I reject the assertion. We are continuing to monitor and to work with the Migrant Rights Centre of Ireland, MRCI, and a range of Government agencies with regard to work permits. The target for processing correctly completed applications — these are the three key words — is 15 working days. Green cards, inter-company transfers and health care sector applications continue to be processed within this timeframe. There has been a delay in processing other employment types. It is generally taking 12 weeks to issue such type of permits——
I did not ask that.
——which is due to the reprioritisation of resources within the Department. A large number of staff were moved from the employment permits section to the redundancy section.
Why is the Minister of State unable to furnish basic statistics that should be used on a daily basis by the Department to see what is happening? They are not available three months later.
The Deputy will be aware of the industrial relations difficulties.