Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 11 December 2025
377. Deputy Michael Murphy asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment in light of the recent announcement that the quota for general employment permits for dairy farm assistants has been exhausted, with no new applications being accepted, the representations his Department has received from farming representative bodies regarding the urgent need to increase the quota for the upcoming spring season. [71063/25]
View answer378. Deputy Michael Murphy asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment given the critical labour shortages being reported in the dairy-farming sector, particularly during the busy spring calving season, if he will commit to immediately reopening or extending the quota for dairy farm assistants, or otherwise fast-tracking additional permits to ensure farms have sufficient staff for the spring workload. [71064/25]
View answer379. Deputy Michael Murphy asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment the timeframe for when the current review of the occupations lists for employment permits will conclude; and if the Department will publish interim arrangements or special allowances for agricultural employers facing urgent labour shortages while that review is ongoing. [71065/25]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 378, 377 and 379 together.
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 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.
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 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 in progress including where occupations that currently have assigned quotas are undergoing review.
My Department is currently engaging with the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine in relation to the eligibility for employment permits and quotas affecting the sector as part of this review. Final recommendations are expected to be published at the beginning of 2026.
There is no mechanism to place applications on hold once a quota has been exhausted. Once a new quota threshold has been introduced through amending secondary legislation, new applications may be submitted for consideration to be processed by date of receipt.
