Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 25 June 2025
66. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment the number of works permits issued to persons from outside the UK and EEA intending to take up positions of dentists and dental nurses in 2023, 2024 and to date in 2025, in tabular form. [34732/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraIreland operates a managed employment permits system, maximising the benefits of economic migration and minimising the risk of disrupting Ireland’s labour market. The 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 system is managed through the operation of the Critical Skills Occupations List (CSOL) and Ineligible Occupations List (IOL) which, respectively, prioritise specified in-demand professional roles and identify occupations for which a labour supply should be available in the Irish/EEA labour market. Roles on the ineligible list are not eligible for an employment permit.
The attached table gives details of the number of employment permits issued in respect of the position of Dental Practitioners to persons from outside the UK and the EEA in the years 2023, 2024, and to date in 2025. I am also informed that there are currently 3 new applications awaiting processing.
It should be noted that the role of Dental Nurse is not currently eligible for an employment permit.
The occupations lists are subject to periodic reviews, which include public consultation inviting evidence-based submissions from all sectors. Each review takes account of research undertaken by SOLAS's Skills and Labour Market Research Unit and the Expert Group on Future Skills Needs, a public consultation process, input from the relevant policy departments and the Economic Migration Inter-Departmental Group.
An occupation may be removed from the IOL where evidence supports that there is a lack of Irish/EEA nationals available to undertake the work. If labour market conditions change such that there is a lack of suitably skilled workers within the EEA for a specific occupation, an evidenced-based submission from that sector may be submitted to my Department for consideration. This should be supported by the department with lead responsibility for the sector.
The next review of the occupations lists will commence over Summer 2025. Submissions will be invited from interested parties via a public consultation process which will be accessible on my Department’s website throughout the consultation period.
A registration of interest form for the public consultation process is available on the Department's website: https://enterprise.gov.ie/en/what-we-do/workplace-and-skills/employment-permits/consultation-to-review-occupations-lists/.
