Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 28 April 2026
167. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment if he will consider putting early years on the critical skills list to encourage professionals to come to Ireland to work in the sector; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29881/26]
View answerThe purpose of the employment permits system is to support enterprise growth and economic activity, while at the same time ensuring that employment opportunities for the domestic and EEA workforce are protected. The system is designed to strike an appropriate balance between facilitating access to international labour where genuine shortages exist and maintaining safeguards for the domestic and EEA workforce.
Eligibility for employment permits are subject to review, incorporating stakeholder submissions and informed by labour market data, vacancy and earnings trends, analysis from relevant skills bodies. This includes research and analysis from bodies such as SOLAS, Skills and Labour Market Research Unit (SLMRU), and the Expert Group on Future Skills Needs (EGFSN). This ongoing analysis incorporating stakeholder participation and the observations of the Interdepartmental Group on Economic Migration Policy, informs policy development and supports efforts to ensure that the permits system remains responsive to current and emerging skills and workforce requirements, particularly where shortages are sustained or structural in nature.
The current review commenced with an open public consultation during the Summer of last year. It attracted a wide range of submissions, including from stakeholders in the early childhood care and education sector. During the course of this review, my Department engaged with the Department of Children, Disability and Equality which has policy responsibility for the early years care sector, to ensure that the employment permits system is aligned with the national objective of meeting appropriate service demands and policies.
An occupation may be considered for change on the occupation’s lists, or eligibility by quota, where evidence suggests:
• there are no suitable Irish/EEA nationals available to undertake the work;
• development opportunities for Irish/EEA nationals are not undermined;
• genuine skills shortage exists and that it is not a recruitment or retention problem;
• education, training, employment and economic development policies are supported; and
• the skill shortage exists across the occupation, despite attempts by industry to train and attract Irish/EEA nationals to available jobs.
My Department is currently finalising the outcome of the review, and the updated occupation lists will be published in the coming weeks.
