I join in the Leas-Cheann Comhairle's most fitting tribute to the late Tom Burke. Fear uasal ab ea é. I received an email from a family in Tipperary who have been in business for 60 years. The Tánaiste has often frequented the place. It cannot get staff. We saw what Boris Johnson did across the pond in getting 10,000 work permits issued and bringing in the army. This business started the process last February. It advertised in May and got people from India. It was assured by the Tánaiste a month ago that it would have two within a week.

Three weeks later he received a letter to state there are difficulties. When is the Government going to get the Civil Service back working at full tilt to get these processes done? Home-grown indigenous businesses are sinking and being wiped out by the lack of employees. He requires 50 staff to reopen the business fully but this is very frustrating. I will forward the email of my constituent to the Tánaiste, which is very frustrating to read and disappointing from his point of view. This is a man who wants to employ people and to continue his business for another 60 years.

I thank the Deputy. As the House will be aware, businesses are reporting labour shortages across the economy at the moment in retail, hospitality, logistics, agriculture and food. This is a real problem. A number of different things are driving that, ranging from the impact of the pandemic to how it is much harder for people to travel into the country, or at least it was until a few weeks ago.

With the phasing out of the pandemic unemployment payment and travel restrictions being removed, we will see that labour shortage easing. The issuing of work permits is handled by my Department. We are now at the point where staff are coming back into the offices, we would expect it to be sped up. We also hope to have legislation before the House in the coming months that will modernise the process and make it easier for permits to be given.