New consultation on work permit system announced
The system provides for employers to recruit workers with skills that are in short supply into Ireland from outside the UK, EU or EEA.
There are various types of permits with those intended to address critical skills shortages prioritised for access. More than 20 areas are of employment including professions in the engineering, healthcare and technology sectors are covered by critical skills permits.
A wider variety of roles are covered by other permit types including general employment permits and in these cases additional evidence is routinely required that suitable employees capable of carrying out the role cannot be found within the EEA.
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Last year about 40,000 permits were granted to workers from outside the EEA with just over 15,000 issued in the first six months of 2025. Healthcare has tended to dominate the figures in recent years though substantial numbers of workers in the ICT, hospitality and other sectors are also included in the figures each year.
The last review of the occupations lists was carried out just two years ago when 11 additional roles were placed on the Critical Skills Occupations List and 32 were added to those eligible for a General Employment Permit.
Announcing the new consultation, details of which are available on the Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment website where submissions can also be made, the Minister, Peter Burke, said it was important to keep the process under constant review because of its importance to the economy.
'As demonstrated by the changes made to the employment permit system over the last year, the system is responsive to the needs of the sectors and industries it serves. This full review will allow us to ensure the system remains up-to-date in a way that serves both workers and employers.'
Minister of State, Alan Dillon, said the review, which opens on Wednesday and runs until September 19th will allow employers and other stakeholders to provide feedback on how the current system is working.
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Irish Times
7 hours ago
- Irish Times
‘It tastes like an ashtray': Irish pubs lament the arrival of Chinese-brewed Guinness
This promises to be a good week for many Irish pubs in China , bracketed by All-Ireland finals at each end, with the British and Irish Lions ' Australian matches in between. But for some publicans, each pint of Guinness they pour this week is part of a countdown to an unwelcome change that one told me could close his business. Until recently, Guinness was shipped from Ireland and distributed in China by AB InBev , the brewing giant that makes Budweiser. But earlier this year, the company started brewing Guinness under licence in China and the reception in Irish pubs has not been good. 'The feedback from everyone is that it tastes like cigarettes or an ashtray. The taste is not the same at all and the aftertaste is terrible,' one publican told me. Almost every time I have been with a group of Irish people in China in recent months, the subject of the new Guinness has come up 'That's what the customers are saying. They refuse to drink it. We only have three kegs left of the original but other bars have the new stuff and all the people come in and say the same things.' READ MORE Almost every time I have been with a group of Irish people in China in recent months, the subject of the new Guinness has come up and I have yet to meet anyone who likes it. Most describe it as having a burnt taste and the comparison with an ashtray is a common one. 'It's a different drink altogether I'd say. The current Guinness is lovely, creamy and tastes like a great pint of Guinness you'd get back home,' said one aficionado. 'The Chinese or alternative Guinness has a slight burnt taste and doesn't taste like the original Guinness. I'd go as far to say it tastes worse than a bad pint of Guinness back home.' There are dozens of Irish-themed bars across China but a smaller number of authentically Irish pubs, many of them owned or run by Irish people. Most depend on a mixture of Chinese customers and foreigners from many countries who come for the atmosphere, to watch a match or to take part in a quiz as well as for a drink. The Irish Embassy and consulates host events for Irish citizens but it is the GAA and the network of Irish pubs that provide the social backbone of the community The Irish community in China is small and much diminished since the coronavirus pandemic, probably numbering only a couple of thousand people. The Irish Embassy and consulates host events for Irish citizens but it is the GAA and the network of Irish pubs that provide the social backbone of the community. Like Irish pubs across the world, China's double as information hubs and informal support centres, often organising fundraising efforts to help Irish emigrants in distress. And although there are not enough Irish people to keep a pub going on their own, Irish identity is a big part of the attraction of these bars, many of which are renowned for the quality of their Guinness. 'It's literally our best seller, so this could close us. All the feedback is extremely bad with the new stuff,' said one bar owner. 'We sell a lot of Guinness in the bar and people know it for Guinness. So we'd expect a drop in the customer base if we can't sell Guinness. All the reviews we get online are about Guinness, so it has a huge impact.' We regularly monitor and engage with the trade via our appropriate channels — Budweiser China spokeswoman I put these complaints to Budweiser China, who are brewing Guinness under licence and asked if they could explain why it has a different taste. I asked if they had brewed stout before and if they could do anything to improve the product. 'Guinness is produced in numerous locations around the world, and all authorised breweries of Guinness Stout adhere to consistent production standards and specifications. We regularly monitor and engage with the trade via our appropriate channels,' said a spokeswoman. 'To meet growing market demand, starting from 2025, we began producing Guinness in China, allowing consumers greater convenience in enjoying a consistent supply of fresh Guinness beer. The brewers from the Guinness Irish Team at St James's Gate, Ireland, carefully oversee all aspects of locally brewed Guinness. The Guinness stout produced in China has the smooth taste, well-balanced flavour and consistent quality Guinness is renowned for all over the world and the Guinness stout brewed in China has received a full 10/10 Guinness Technical Flavour Score.' When I asked her if this would continue to be the only Guinness available in China, she simply repeated that they started brewing it in China this year, 'allowing consumers greater convenience in enjoying a consistent supply of fresh Guinness beer'. There's nothing we can do, and we just have to suck it up — Publican in China I put the same questions to Diageo and asked if they would supply the original Guinness to pubs in China while they were improving the locally brewed product. Conscious of the importance of the Irish diaspora experience in Guinness's marketing, I told them about the importance of the pubs to China's small and fragile Irish community. 'Alongside our third-party operators, we have an unwavering commitment to delivering the highest quality, taste and experience of our products across the globe,' said a spokeswoman. Or as one publican in southern China put it when he said he saw no point in complaining, 'there's nothing we can do, and we just have to suck it up'.
Irish Examiner
12 hours ago
- Irish Examiner
Average mortgage drawdown reaches record level after €28,000 rise in a year
The average value of home mortgages drawn down in Ireland has hit the highest level on record, reaching over €330,000 as the combined value of all mortgages during the first half of the year increased by nearly 19%, new data from the Banking and Payments Federation, Ireland (BPFI) shows. During the first six months of this year, there were just over 20,000 mortgages drawn down worth a combined value of €6.2bn, an increase of 18.7% compared to the same period in 2024 and the highest value seen between January and June since 2008. There were 11,803 mortgage drawdowns by first-time buyers worth a combined €3.7bn while mover-purchasers accounted for 3,947 mortgage drawdowns worth €1.47bn in total. Of all those mortgages, 10,978 were drawn down between April and June. They had a combined value of €3.37bn. This represents an increase of 9.6% in volume and 18.1% in value in the corresponding second quarter of 2024. According to the BPFI report, as of the end of June, the average mortgage drawdown value stood at €330,745 - which is an increase of €28,000 compared to the same point in 2024. The average mortgage on second-hand properties increased by more than €29,000 to €324,688 in the year to the end of June while average home mortgage on new properties was almost €24,000 higher at €341,063. Chief executive of the BPFI, Brian Hayes, said during the first half of year first-time buyers 'continue to dominate' after recording the 'highest' drawdown volumes and values since 2007 and 2006, respectively. Switching activity during the first half of the year also increased by 41.9% in volume - with 2,660 mortgages drawn down - and by 60% in value terms to €732m. New properties, including self-builds, accounted for 34.5% of all home purchases between January and June. By contrast, while the number of mortgages on second-hand properties increased marginally to 10,312 it was 9.7% below the level seen in the first half of 2022. Mortgage approvals The BPFI also released data on the mortgage approvals seen during June which showed that a total of 4,883 mortgages were approved, of which first-time buyers accounted for nearly 60% and mover-purchasers accounted for 20.3%. The value of all these mortgages stood at just under €1.56bn. Nearly €1bn of this was from first-time buyers. The value of mortgage approvals fell by 3.1% compared to May but rose by 16.2% year-on-year. There were 53,191 mortgage approvals in the 12 months ending at June 2025, valued at €16.5bn. Mr Hayes said that mortgage approvals during the first half of the year are up 5.4% to 15,736, the highest level for the first six months of the year since the data series began in 2011. 'While mover purchase approval volumes fell for the fourth year in a row to 4,990. First-time buyer housing demand remains very strong, with 22,903 Help to Buy applications in the first half of 2025, according to the Revenue Commissioner, almost 41% more than in H1 2024,' he said. Read More Mortgage approval values jump nearly 18%
Irish Times
18 hours ago
- Irish Times
Betting tax increase in budget could raise €53m while higher vehicle levies also examined in tax strategy papers
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