Changes to work permits: Stop-gap move is not enough

More chefs from outside the EU will be eligible for employment permits allowing them to work in Ireland, as a result of changes announced by Minister for Business, Enterprise, and Innovation Heather Humphreys.

Other changes to the current system governing work permits are also being made to increase the supply of skilled workers in construction, health, and road haulage.

The move will provide a boost to the hospitality sector, which employs 152,000 people, and is struggling to attract and retain sufficient numbers of kitchen staff.

The changes indicate that skills shortages represent the flipside of a buoyant economy and low levels of unemployment. A survey last May conducted by CIPD Ireland — the umbrella body for Human Resources and learning and development — found that 84% of Irish organisations are battling skills shortages for new talent, up from 81% in 2018.

The move will undoubtedly provide a boost to certain industries but it is only a stop-gap measure. What is also needed is a total reappraisal of local skills that are not being tapped.

The minister should put in place mechanisms to encourage more flexible options for working and learning and a system of child care that would allow many skilled people to re-enter the workforce.

Similar measures for older skilled people who may have retired early and would like to work again should also be considered.