Written Answers Nos. 508-528
508. Deputy Jennifer Whitmore asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the efforts being made by his Department to increase the number of apprenticeships for the new retrofitting plan; the bodies that will be facilitating those apprenticeships for retrofitting; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54293/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe workforce required to support the level of retrofit activity as set out in the Climate Action Plan includes individuals with a wide range of skills from insulation operatives, craft workers, engineering and legal professionals among others. Education and training to support skills development for retrofit is delivered across the entire spectrum of the tertiary education and training system through short courses targeted to upskilling and knowledge awareness for existing professionals and upskilling for non-craft operatives in addition to apprenticeships and other further and higher education and training programmes.
In relation to apprenticeship, a key objective of the Government's Action Plan for Apprenticeship 2021-2025 is to ensure that the apprenticeship system will increase its contribution to meeting Ireland’s skills and human capital requirements by delivering on a target of 10,000 apprenticeship registrations per annum by 2025. The Plan is intended to drive the development of apprenticeship to increase its attractiveness to employers in meeting their workforce requirements, facilitating the green and digital transformation.
Among the 62 apprenticeships available at levels 5-10 of the National Framework of Qualifications current qualifications relevant to retrofit activity include construction related apprenticeships such as plumbing, carpentry and joinery, plastering and painting and decorating and the recently launched scaffolding apprenticeship. Support activities may be facilitated through existing apprenticeships in Auctioneering and Property Services (L6), Logistics (L7-9) and Sales (L6). Apprenticeships are also in development in Roofing and Cladding (L5) and Advanced Quantity Surveyor (L9). Curricula in existing apprenticeships are updated on an ongoing basis to keep pace with changes in industry practices and regulations.
There is no specific retrofit apprenticeship at the current time. The development of new apprenticeships is employer-led, with consortia comprising employer groups and educational providers can come together to identify a skills need and appropriate apprenticeship response in their sector. The framework for development of an apprenticeship programme is available on www.apprenticeship.ie and interested organisations can also contact SOLAS directly to discuss requirements for the development of new apprenticeships.
509. Deputy Jennifer Whitmore asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the number of retrofitting centres of excellence that have been established to date; the location of each; the number of trainees currently enrolled in each; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54546/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe WWETB National NZEB Training Centre is the first facility in Europe to offer a suite of trade-specific NZEB courses. On-site retrofit programmes are currently provided in Waterford Wexford ETB, Laois Offaly ETB and Mount Lucas National Construction Training Centre. These training courses introduce participants to the legislative concepts required to meet the standards of NZEB in a flexible, responsive environment.
Currently, there are 648 students enrolled on NZEB and retrofitting programmes across the three centres. The majority of courses are three days in duration and are validated by City and Guilds. WWETB is continuing to develop their offering to meet the needs of the sector and are developing a blended model with 2 days online and one day in the training centre. They have also commissioned the development of a pilot VR programme to support NZEB/retrofit training which is expected to be operational by year end.
A further three Centres of Excellence are being established in the Cork, Limerick Clare and Mayo Sligo Leitrim ETBs. The establishment of the centres has been delayed due to COVID-19 impacts on the ETBs and are now due to be in place by early-2022.
510. Deputy Rose Conway-Walsh asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science further to Parliamentary Question No. 814 of 9 September 2021, the average cost for each undergraduate medical student on the Exchequer rather than the higher education institution; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54582/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs the deputy is aware, Government investment in Higher Education is not specifically allocated against a per student or average cost metric and state investment in the sector is not limited to the recurrent grant funding of institutions.
In this regard, Government provides financial support to the higher education sector through direct recurrent grants, and indirectly through a number of specific parameters including free fees, policy initiatives, Springboard+, Human Capital Initiative, SUSI fee supports.
In the case of students doing medicine:
- The HEA has a Recurrent Grant Allocation Model (RGAM) which allocates core recurrent funding to institutions. The grant is allocated as a block recurrent grant and the internal allocation of this grant is a matter for each institution. Student numbers are included and counted for funding purposes in the RGAM and in 2021 attracted c.€3,600 per student through the RGAM.
- Medical students (arising from the increased EU student intake on foot of the Fottrell Report), are covered by additional ring-fenced funding for undergraduate and graduate-entry medicine outside of RGAM. Undergraduate “Fottrell” students are paid at a rate of €9,177 per undergraduate student.
- Eligible undergraduate medical students have their fees paid by the Exchequer under the Free Fees Scheme. The HEA pays c. €5,900 per student in respect of eligible medical students under the Free Fees Scheme. Students are liable for the Student Contribution of €3,000. Eligible students may have the student contribution fully or partially paid on their behalf under SUSI.
- In addition, the HEA currently pays a grant per student (2020/21) of €11,524 for Graduate Entry Medical Students.
511. Deputy Rose Conway-Walsh asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the funding allocated per year for the cross-Border Project Ireland 2040 infrastructure projects under his remit in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54583/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraWhile there are a number of cross-border projects in Project Ireland 2040 falling within my remit, a number of these including the investment in the Magee Campus and the all-island research hubs are currently being developed in partnership with relevant stakeholders in Northern Ireland, and as yet, costs have not yet being finalised.
The Deputy will recall that along with the Taoiseach, I launched the North-South research programme with a commitment of €40 million over the next 5 years. The HEA are currently evaluating responses to their Call for Proposals from higher education institutions, North and South. Costs cannot be profiled until this stage has been completed.
512. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Justice if she received interim reports in 2020 and or 2021 in advance of a final report regarding a case (details supplied). [53980/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraI understand that the Deputy is referring to reports from the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission (GSOC). I can confirm that I have received no such reports during the period referred to.
513. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Justice the status of proposals to regularise undocumented migrants; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53995/21]
Amharc ar fhreagra514. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Justice the breakdown of undocumented migrants living in each county; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53996/21]
Amharc ar fhreagra515. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Justice the way statistics regarding the number of undocumented migrants are ascertained; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53997/21]
Amharc ar fhreagra516. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Justice the supports in place to assist undocumented migrants; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53998/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 513 to 516, inclusive, together.
The Government committed to introducing new pathways to status regularisation within 18 months of its formation. My Justice Plan 2021 contains a commitment to create new pathways for long-term undocumented people and their dependents who must meet specified criteria to regularise their status.
The scheme will provide an opportunity for those who meet its criteria to remain and reside in the State and to become part of mainstream Irish society rather than living on its margins. Successful applicants will receive an immigration permission, access to the labour market and will be able to begin the process of becoming Irish citizens, should they wish to do so. The objective is to ensure that the scheme is as inclusive as possible and my Department has conducted a targeted consultation on the proposed scheme which has provided a valuable opportunity to hear from those affected by the proposed approach to the scheme.
Following the consultation process, my Department continues to work to finalise the details, including eligibility considerations and qualifying criteria, and also to design and manage the practical aspects to enable applications to be made and processed as efficiently as possible. The specific qualifying criteria will be guided by, among other things, the learning from previous regularisation schemes, such as the 2018 Student Scheme, and schemes operated by other EU Member States.
We are now working to finalise the details for the scheme, including eligibility considerations and qualifying criteria, with a view to bringing a proposal to Government and to publish the details of the scheme before the end of this year.
It is not possible for my Department to quantify the number of undocumented migrants living in the State. Such persons do not ordinarily make themselves known to immigration officials or to other authorities of the State.
The Migrant Rights Centre of Ireland (MRCI) has previously provided my officials with a report estimating that there are some 15,000 to 17,000 undocumented people in the State, including 2,000 to 3,000 children. However, the estimates put forward by the MRCI are not official statistics.
517. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Justice the number of penalties including fines and terms of imprisonment that have been issued for the possession with intent to sell or supply illegal fireworks from 2015 to date; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54010/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraPart 6 of the Criminal Justice Act 2006 gives An Garda Síochána the power to make arrests in relation to the possession of unlicensed fireworks.
Penalties faced include a fine of up to €10,000 and up to five years imprisonment if convicted of having fireworks in your possession with intent to sell or supply.
Igniting fireworks or throwing an ignited firework at a person or property is also liable to the same severe penalty. These penalties demonstrate the seriousness attached to breaches of the legislation governing the importation and use of fireworks.
In order to be of assistance to the Deputy I have contacted the Courts Service and have been provided with a report, detailed below, on the number of offences where a penalty was imposed in the District Court for the possession with intend to sell or supply illegal fireworks for the period 2015 to September 2021.
|
- |
2015 |
2016 |
2017 |
2018 |
2019 |
2020 |
2021 |
|
Court Order |
Number of Offences |
Number of Offences |
Number of Offences |
Number of Offences |
Number of Offences |
Number of Offences |
Number of Offences |
|
Community Service Order |
5 |
||||||
|
Dismiss |
1 |
1 |
1 |
||||
|
Dismiss Probation Act |
2 |
3 |
2 |
||||
|
Fine |
5 |
7 |
3 |
2 |
4 |
1 |
4 |
|
Imprisonment |
1 |
1 |
|||||
|
Imprisonment suspended |
1 |
||||||
|
Other |
1 |
1 |
3 |
1 |
4 |
||
|
Poor Box |
2 |
1 |
2 |
2 |
|||
|
Probation Order |
1 |
||||||
|
Send forward for trial |
1 |
1 |
1 |
||||
|
Strike out |
2 |
3 |
1 |
2 |
4 |
3 |
4 |
|
Taken into consideration |
1 |
2 |
1 |
||||
|
Withdrawn |
1 |
1 |
2 |
||||
|
Total |
14 |
12 |
12 |
12 |
11 |
12 |
19 |
The Deputy will also be aware that in addition to the provisions providing for the offence of possession with intent to sell or supply illegal fireworks, there are a number of strong legislative provisions available to Gardaí to combat anti-social behaviour more generally – such as –
- the Criminal Damage Act 1991;
- Criminal Justice (Public Order) Act 1994;
- the Criminal Justice (Public Order) Act 2003;
- the Intoxicating Liquor Acts 2003 and 2008.
However, it would not be possible to disaggregate the statistics for the use of those more general provisions if used to deal with firework misuse and related anti-social behaviour over the Halloween period from the other uses of those provisions.
518. Deputy Jackie Cahill asked the Minister for Justice if the old Garda barracks in Templederry, County Tipperary is still considered an operational station; if the building is surplus to requirements; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54082/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs the Deputy will be aware, under the Garda Síochána Act 2005, the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the management of the Garda Estate, including the use of Garda Stations. Under the Act, the Commissioner is also responsible for the management and administration of An Garda Síochána, as well as the distribution and stationing of the Garda Síochána throughout the State. As Minister, I have no direct role in these matters.
I am informed by the Garda authorities that the Garda barracks in Templederry, County Tipperary is considered an operational station and is not deemed surplus to requirements at present.
519. Deputy Joe O'Brien asked the Minister for Justice the current average processing times for applications for citizenship; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54083/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraI am deeply conscious of how important the granting of naturalisation is to those who apply for it and my Department has continued to accept and process citizenship applications throughout the pandemic and during all levels of public health restrictions.
However, the combined impact of the 2019 High Court judgment in the Jones case and the necessary health restrictions arising from the pandemic, has resulted in the processing time for standard applications increasing.
Regrettably, the current average processing time for applications is 23 months and there are just over 22,200 applications on hand at various stages of processing, ranging from those just received to those where a decision has been made and are "ceremony ready".
However, my Department is taking a number of steps to speed up the processing of applications.
In January, my Department opened a temporary system to enable these applicants to complete their naturalisation process by signing a statutory declaration of loyalty. Since the introduction of the temporary system, 8,196 citizenship applicants have been contacted and 7,405 new Irish citizens have received their certificates of naturalisation. My Department has prioritised the oldest applications on hand and a significant number of these applicants have received their certificates since the start of the year.
A number of digitisation measures have been introduced to increase efficiency in the process, including eTax clearance, eVetting and online payments. The end result of the digitisation process will be to free up more staff to focus on processing applications in a timely and efficient manner, to improve service to our customers and reduce waiting times. This year, we are on track to deliver approximately 11,000 decisions, significantly exceeding the levels achieved in the last two years. Additional staff have also been assigned to the citizenship team. Based on these measures, my Department's objective is to achieve an improved timeframe of 6-9 months for decisions on a majority of applications during 2022.
Subject to public health guidelines, my Department also intends to host an in-person citizenship ceremony on 13 December in Killarney - the first since the pandemic began in March 2020.
520. Deputy Mick Barry asked the Minister for Justice when she will announce the precise terms of the proposed scheme for regularising the status of undocumented workers; the timeframe for the operation of the scheme; if primary legislation will be required to give effect to the scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54121/21]
Amharc ar fhreagra521. Deputy Mick Barry asked the Minister for Justice if the proposed scheme for regularising the status of undocumented workers will be inclusive for those who may have been documented at some point within the four year or three-year timeframe but are currently undocumented; if the scheme includes those who have been working documented for four years or three years to the present but on a visa stamp 1 inferior to the stamp 4 available with the undocumented scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54122/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 520 and 521 together.
The Government committed to introducing new pathways to status regularisation within 18 months of its formation. My Justice Plan 2021 contains a commitment to create new pathways for long-term undocumented people and their dependents who must meet specified criteria to regularise their status.
The scheme will provide an opportunity for those who meet its criteria to remain and reside in the State and to become part of mainstream Irish society rather than living on its margins. Successful applicants will receive an immigration permission, access to the labour market and will be able to begin the process of becoming Irish citizens, should they wish to do so. The objective is to ensure that the scheme is as inclusive as possible and my Department has conducted a targeted consultation on the proposed scheme which has provided a valuable opportunity to hear from those affected by the proposed approach to the scheme.
Following the consultation process, my Department continues to work to finalise the details, including eligibility considerations and qualifying criteria, and also to design and manage the practical aspects to enable applications to be made and processed as efficiently as possible. The specific qualifying criteria will be guided by, among other things, the learning from previous regularisation schemes, such as the 2018 Student Scheme, and schemes operated by other EU Member States.
We are now working to finalise the details for the scheme, including eligibility considerations and qualifying criteria, with a view to bringing a proposal to Government and to publish the details of the scheme before the end of this year.
As this is an administrative scheme that will operate under my executive authority as Minister for Justice, primary legislation is not required.
522. Deputy Mick Barry asked the Minister for Justice if an organisation (details supplied) will be consulted as part of the review process in view of the recent announcement that there will be a review of the atypical work permit scheme for non-EEA fishers following a report by Maynooth University; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54123/21]
Amharc ar fhreagra523. Deputy Mick Barry asked the Minister for Justice the number of fishers currently enrolled in the atypical work permit scheme for non-EEA fishers; the breakdown by nationality; the number of the approximately 180 eligible vessels that have atypical work permit holders on board; the number that have been enrolled in the past six months; the number that have not had their expired contracts renewed in the past six months; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54124/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 522 and 523 together.
As the Deputy is aware, the Atypical Working Scheme (AWS) was established as a cross Departmental response to address the matter of non-EEA workers on certain categories of vessels in the Irish fishing fleet, who are not currently eligible for permission under the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment employment permit system.
The Scheme provided, for the first time, a framework for the employment of non-EEA workers within defined segments of the Irish fishing fleet. and was welcomed as a solution to the risk of exploitation and to guarantee employment rights and protections to non-EEA fishers availing of the Scheme.
I am aware of the recent report published by Maynooth University. I can advise the Deputy that Minister Browne has discussed the Atypical Working Scheme for non-EEA fishers with Minister McConalogue and Minister English, and the Ministers have agreed to a review of the Scheme being carried out. Officials from the three Departments have held initial discussions on the review and will be engaging further to take this work forward.
While the nature and extent of stakeholder consultation as part of that review has yet to be determined, I am advised that the organisation referred to by the Deputy will be among those invited to a stakeholder consultation meeting shortly by the Cross-Departmental Oversight Committee.
Currently, there are 328 individuals holding a letter of approval under the AWS Scheme to work on 105 of the 171 vessels falling within the remit of the Scheme. This figure of 171 represents less than 10% of the entire Irish fishing fleet.
The breakdown by nationality of these 328 individuals is set out in the table below:
|
Country of Origin |
|
|
Philippines |
157 |
|
Egypt |
61 |
|
Ghana |
48 |
|
Indonesia |
40 |
|
Other |
22 |
|
Total |
328 |
In the six month period between 1 May 2021 and 29 October 2021, my Department granted 129 of these permissions.
Since 1 January 2019, 112 of the 328 permissions granted have not yet been renewed. However, if the individual SeaFisher continues to comply with the terms and conditions of the immigration permission granted to them, they will continue to hold a valid immigration permission until 15 January 2022, under the eight general extensions of immigration permissions announced between 20 March 2020 and 15 January 2022.
This measure has ensured that no non-EEA fisher who was in permission has fallen out of permission during the pandemic. My officials will be writing to the applicants’ legal advisors, alerting them of the approaching deadline and the need for their clients to engage with my Department in advance of the 15 January 2022 deadline, if they wish to renew their permissions.
I understand that there are currently 256 active contracts of employment lodged with the Central Depository of the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine. it is a matter for the employer and their legal agent to make contact with that Department if they wish to renew or lodge a new contract.
524. Deputy James Lawless asked the Minister for Justice the status of a visa application by a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54129/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraThis application for a certificate of naturalisation was received on 13 June 2020. This application is currently being processed with a view to establishing whether the applicant meets the statutory conditions for the granting of naturalisation and will be submitted to me for decision as expeditiously as possible.
The granting of Irish citizenship through naturalisation is a privilege and an honour which confers certain rights and entitlements not only within the State but also at European Union level and it is important that appropriate procedures are in place to preserve the integrity of the process.
It is recognised that all applicants for citizenship would wish to have a decision on their application without delay. However, the nature of the naturalisation process is such that, for a broad range of reasons, some cases will take longer than others to process. In some instances, completing the necessary checks can take a considerable period of time.
Queries in relation to the status of individual immigration cases may be made directly to my Department by e-mail using the Oireachtas Mail facility at: INISOireachtasMail@justice.ie, which has been specifically established for this purpose. This service enables up to date information on such cases to be obtained without the need to seek information by way of the Parliamentary Question process. The Deputy may consider using the e-mail service except in the cases where the response is, in the Deputy's view, inadequate or too long awaited.
525. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Justice the number of applications to the new pre-clearance visa scheme that was introduced for UK nationals who came to Ireland after 31 December 2020 and wish to bring their non-EEA family members with them; the number of visas granted in tabular form; the ten most common nationalities of persons granted visas; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54140/21]
Amharc ar fhreagra526. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Justice the number of applications made since 1 January 2021 for a new residence document under the Withdrawal Agreement as family members of UK nationals; the number of Withdrawal Agreement cards issued; the ten most common nationalities of those applying for Withdrawal Agreement cards; and the actions her Department has taken to make family members of UK nationals aware that they must exchange their residence permit before 31 December 2021. [54141/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 525 and 526 together.
With effect from 11:00pm on 31 December 2020, following the end of the Brexit transition period, all non-EEA family members of UK nationals seeking to join, or accompany, their UK national family member in Ireland will need to apply (depending on their nationality) through a preclearance or visa scheme from outside the State.
The Preclearance Scheme only applies when a UK national has come to live in Ireland after 31 December 2020. Applications are required from both visa required and non-visa required nationals and will be assessed under the relevant policy document. All applications must be made from outside of Ireland and applicants must remain outside the State while their application is being processed.
Visa required nationals will only have to make a visa application under the relevant scheme. Their visa, if their application is successful, will outline their reason for travel to Ireland
Non-Visa required nationals need to apply for preclearance, and if their application is successful, they will receive an approval letter from the preclearance unit of my Department, which must be presented to an Immigration Officer at the port of entry.
The information requested for visa required and non-visa required nationals, is contained in the attached tables.
A UK national and their Non-EEA family members or their dependents continue to hold the same residence rights to live, work or study in Ireland, if they resided here at the end of the transition period on 31 December 2020 .
It is estimated that approximately 6,000 non-EEA nationals resident in Ireland will apply for a new residence document under the Withdrawal Agreement as family members of UK nationals.
Non-EEA family members or dependents of UK nationals are required to exchange their current valid Irish Residence Permit (IRP) Card for a new one stating that they benefit from the Withdrawal Agreement. This card exchange programme has applied from 1 January 2021, and is administered by the Immigration Service of my Department for applicants nationwide. Applications are made through an online renewal system.
As of 1 November 2021, 1,620 card exchange applications have been received, of which 1,441 have been completed.
The ten most common nationalities of those applying for Withdrawal Agreement cards are set out in the table below:
|
Nationality |
Count |
|
South Africa |
708 |
|
Pakistan |
314 |
|
Afghanistan |
101 |
|
Nigeria |
95 |
|
India |
51 |
|
United States Of America |
46 |
|
Philippines |
40 |
|
Brazil |
25 |
|
China (Including Hong Kong) |
23 |
|
Thailand |
21 |
|
- |
VISAS |
|||
|
Applications Made |
76 |
|||
|
Visas Granted |
14 |
|||
|
Citizenship |
Application Granted |
Appeal granted |
Revoked |
Total |
|
South Africa |
5 |
0 |
0 |
5 |
|
Ukraine |
2 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
|
Afghanistan |
1 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
|
Gambia |
1 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
|
Guinea |
1 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
|
Pakistan |
1 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
|
People's Republic of China |
0 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
|
Sudan |
1 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
|
Turkey |
1 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
|
Total |
13 |
1 |
0 |
14 |
|
PRECLEARANCE |
||||
|
Applications Made |
42 |
|||
|
Preclearances Granted |
18 |
|||
|
Citizenship |
Application Granted |
Appeal granted |
Revoked |
Total |
|
South Africa |
7 |
2 |
0 |
9 |
|
United States of America |
8 |
0 |
0 |
8 |
|
Israel |
1 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
|
Total |
16 |
2 |
0 |
18 |
|
TOTAL COMBINED |
||||
|
Applications Made |
118 |
|||
|
Total Granted |
32 |
|||
|
Citizenship |
Application Granted |
Appeal granted |
Revoked |
Total |
|
South Africa |
12 |
2 |
0 |
14 |
|
United States of America |
8 |
0 |
0 |
8 |
|
Ukraine |
2 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
|
Afghanistan |
1 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
|
Gambia |
1 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
|
Guinea |
1 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
|
Israel |
1 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
|
Pakistan |
1 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
|
People's Republic of China |
0 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
|
Sudan |
1 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
|
Turkey |
1 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
|
Total Granted |
29 |
3 |
0 |
32 |
527. Deputy Michael Ring asked the Minister for Justice the reason persons residing in direct provision who are awaiting the outcome of applications to remain in the State cannot work if they have the appropriate qualifications and in particular in circumstances in which there is a shortage of workers for the area they are qualified in. [54192/21]
Amharc ar fhreagra528. Deputy Michael Ring asked the Minister for Justice the number of persons that have been approved permission to access the labour market in Ireland from 2017 to date by county in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54195/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 527 and 528 together.
As the Deputy will be aware, international protection applicants are not required to apply for an employment permit from the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment to legally obtain employment in the State. Access to the labour market is provided under the European Communities (Reception Conditions) Regulations 2018 to 2021. These Regulations transpose the EU (recast) Reception Conditions Directive and came into operation from 30 June 2018.
The Regulations provide access to both employment and self-employment for any applicant who has not received a first instance decision within 6 months of making their international protection application and provided that they have cooperated with the international protection process. Applicants who are eligible for a labour market access permission can access all sectors of employment and occupations with the exception of those that require a citizenship or long-term residence requirement, such as the Civil and Public Sector, An Garda Síochána and the Irish Defence Forces.
Applications are made to the Labour Market Access Unit of my Department. If the application is successful, a labour market access permission is granted, which is valid for 12 months from the date of issue and may be renewed until a final decision is made on the person's international protection application.
Up to and including 31 October 2021, a total of 9,546 applications have been received for a labour market access permission. Of these applications, approximately three quarters (7,248) have been granted and 2,132 have been refused, with a further 117 applications pending. The pending figure includes applications which have not yet reached the 6 months criterion, and those where the return of requested supporting documents is awaited and may therefore ultimately become granted applications.
Of the applications granted a permission, a total of 4,422 have returned their LMA5 form to my Department indicating that they have found employment.
The statistics requested by the Deputy are provided in the table attached to this response. As the labour market access began from 30 June 2018, there is no data available for permissions granted in 2017.
|
- |
2018 |
2018 Total |
2019 |
2019 Total |
2020 |
2020 Total |
2021 |
2021 Total |
||||
|
Row Labels |
Granted |
Refused |
Granted |
Refused |
Granted |
Refused |
Granted |
Refused |
||||
|
Carlow |
1 |
1 |
2 |
4 |
4 |
3 |
3 |
1 |
1 |
|||
|
Cavan |
2 |
2 |
4 |
17 |
8 |
25 |
28 |
9 |
37 |
15 |
15 |
|
|
Clare |
123 |
32 |
155 |
97 |
35 |
132 |
90 |
20 |
110 |
27 |
3 |
30 |
|
Cork |
267 |
80 |
347 |
191 |
68 |
259 |
208 |
44 |
252 |
103 |
22 |
125 |
|
Donegal |
13 |
6 |
19 |
9 |
3 |
12 |
14 |
3 |
17 |
20 |
4 |
24 |
|
Dublin |
249 |
131 |
380 |
366 |
149 |
515 |
529 |
91 |
620 |
350 |
47 |
397 |
|
Galway |
128 |
59 |
187 |
82 |
31 |
113 |
107 |
21 |
128 |
48 |
8 |
56 |
|
Kerry |
149 |
55 |
204 |
143 |
67 |
210 |
111 |
28 |
139 |
58 |
8 |
66 |
|
Kildare |
30 |
14 |
44 |
97 |
33 |
130 |
41 |
10 |
51 |
40 |
3 |
43 |
|
Kilkenny |
3 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
3 |
6 |
6 |
4 |
4 |
|||
|
Laois |
78 |
30 |
108 |
57 |
29 |
86 |
93 |
14 |
107 |
38 |
4 |
42 |
|
Leitrim |
8 |
3 |
11 |
50 |
2 |
52 |
11 |
1 |
12 |
|||
|
Limerick |
74 |
45 |
119 |
60 |
45 |
105 |
97 |
16 |
113 |
74 |
7 |
81 |
|
Longford |
42 |
22 |
64 |
26 |
21 |
47 |
31 |
4 |
35 |
31 |
3 |
34 |
|
Louth |
11 |
8 |
19 |
48 |
16 |
64 |
70 |
7 |
77 |
43 |
2 |
45 |
|
Mayo |
47 |
15 |
62 |
25 |
10 |
35 |
28 |
5 |
33 |
15 |
6 |
21 |
|
Meath |
80 |
23 |
103 |
90 |
41 |
131 |
118 |
16 |
134 |
68 |
7 |
75 |
|
Monaghan |
46 |
23 |
69 |
80 |
37 |
117 |
175 |
19 |
194 |
111 |
20 |
131 |
|
Not Recorded |
134 |
97 |
231 |
59 |
37 |
96 |
6 |
7 |
13 |
4 |
3 |
7 |
|
Offaly |
2 |
1 |
3 |
4 |
2 |
6 |
101 |
9 |
110 |
10 |
2 |
12 |
|
Roscommon |
3 |
2 |
5 |
11 |
2 |
13 |
8 |
1 |
9 |
6 |
1 |
7 |
|
Sligo |
95 |
29 |
124 |
57 |
20 |
77 |
36 |
8 |
44 |
21 |
3 |
24 |
|
Tipperary |
55 |
4 |
59 |
37 |
8 |
45 |
55 |
11 |
66 |
22 |
1 |
23 |
|
Waterford |
134 |
51 |
185 |
71 |
40 |
111 |
69 |
15 |
84 |
47 |
12 |
59 |
|
Westmeath |
77 |
32 |
109 |
91 |
37 |
128 |
67 |
30 |
97 |
40 |
6 |
46 |
|
Wexford |
2 |
1 |
3 |
10 |
8 |
18 |
85 |
12 |
97 |
14 |
14 |
|
|
Wicklow |
3 |
3 |
58 |
20 |
78 |
104 |
16 |
120 |
55 |
6 |
61 |
|
|
Grand Total |
1848 |
763 |
2611 |
1800 |
771 |
2571 |
2330 |
418 |
2748 |
1275 |
180 |
1455 |
