Press Release
Says the 1,000 Horticulture Operatives to be allowed are essential
Expects they will help ease current difficulties in the Horticulture Industry
Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Pippa Hackett this morning welcomed the announcement by Minister Damien English that he is making comprehensive changes to the employment permits system for workers from outside the European Economic Area (EEA).
Referring to the impact the changes will have on the Horticulture sector, the Minister said: ‘The Horticulture industry is facing a number of issues at the moment, but given that the difficulty of sourcing staff is probably the biggest of all, this announcement is really welcome. We are still an outlier in Europe in not having a seasonal employment permit, but while we wait for the legislation which will address that, I expect today’s announcement of 1000 permits will be a huge relief to producers in the sector. ‘
The Minister also welcomed the other changes which are relevant to Agriculture, 500 permits for Meat Deboners, 1,500 for Meat Processing Operatives and 100 for Dairy Farm Operatives, as well as 100 general employment permits for Work Riders.
She said: ‘Agriculture is a labour intensive business. And while we must always strive to make the jobs in it attractive to Irish people, we must also recognize there will be a need to source experienced and skilled workers from abroad too.
Ends
NOTES: Read Minister Damien English's Press Release for more information