Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 24 February 2026
450. Deputy David Maxwell asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment if he will examine the continued inclusion of certain IT-ICT, business support, administrative and sales roles on the critical skills occupations list in view of anecdotal and reported evidence suggesting that many qualified graduates and experienced professionals in Ireland are currently experiencing difficulty securing employment in these fields. [14556/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraIreland’s economic migration policy is designed to address verified and persistent skills shortages across the economy. The system is vacancy-led and managed through the Critical Skills Occupations List (CSOL) and the Ineligible Occupations List, both of which my Department reviews on a regular basis.
A comprehensive review of the occupation lists is currently under way. This process began with an eight-week open public consultation, which closed on 19 September last year. I’m pleased to say we received the highest number of submissions of any review to date, a clear signal of how engaged stakeholders are with the future shape of our skills and migration system.
When assessing any proposed changes to the Lists, we take into account a wide range of labour-market indicators, as well as whole-of-Government considerations. This includes examining verified labour-market data, the availability of suitably skilled workers domestically, and the potential impact of inward migration on housing, transport, healthcare and other public services.
With regard to the Deputy’s reference to anecdotal or reported evidence of challenges faced by graduates or experienced professionals seeking employment in certain IT/ICT, business support, administrative or sales roles, I would emphasise that the occupation lists are evidence-based. If representative bodies, employers, sectoral organisations, or indeed individuals have evidence-driven information indicating that an occupation no longer meets the criteria for inclusion on the CSOL, they may make a submission to that effect as part of the review process.
Submissions that demonstrate clear, data-supported evidence of reduced shortages or of sufficient domestic labour supply are actively considered as part of the Department’s evaluation. Where the evidence supports a change, the Department can amend the lists accordingly, including the removal of occupations from the CSOL.
The Economic Migration Interdepartmental Group has convened to consider labour-market evidence and Departmental inputs. My Department is now finalising the outcome of the overall review, and we expect to publish the updated occupation lists in the coming months. I remain committed to ensuring that the employment permits system remains responsive, evidence-based, and supportive of Ireland’s wider economic and social priorities.
