291. Deputy Michael Murphy asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment the pathway available to a family seeking to employ a non-EEA national as a full-time carer, in a private home where a family member has complex medical needs and requires specialist care; whether a general employment permit or any other employment permit may be granted in such circumstances; the criteria that must be met by the family and the proposed employee; whether exceptions exist where no suitable domestic or EEA worker can be sourced; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54338/26]

292. Deputy Michael Murphy asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment if he is aware that families caring for persons with complex medical needs may be unable to obtain an employment permit for a non-EEA healthcare assistant because the employer is a private household rather than a registered healthcare provider; if he will clarify what alternative mechanism exists in such cases; and whether he will review the current arrangements to ensure that families with genuine, certified care needs are not left without an avenue to recruit suitably qualified carers. [54339/26]

I propose to take Questions Nos. 291 and 292 together.

Ireland operates a managed economic migration system through the employment permits framework. The employment permits system is designed to respond to identified labour market needs where those needs cannot be met from within the State or the wider European Economic Area.

The role of Care Worker/Home Carer is eligible for a General Employment Permit. Provision is also made under the employment permits system for carers in private homes, including where a person has exceptional medical or special care needs.

A carer of a person with exceptional medial needs is currently eligible to be employed by a private household where, alongside satisfying the standard General Employment Permits criteria, the carer:

(1) Is a qualified medical practitioner or nurse and is caring for a person with a severe medical condition in a domestic dwelling.

(2) In this case, the application must include copies of qualifications confirming that the foreign national is a trained medical professional and a letter from a registered medical practitioner specialising in the area of illness of the person for whom the foreign national will be caring, confirming that that person has a severe medical condition.

The role is also eligible in a private household where the carer:

(1) Is caring for a person with special care needs in a domestic dwelling, in circumstances where:

(a) the carer has a long history of caring for the person concerned;

(b) the relationship between the two persons is a significant aspect of the quality of care being provided; and

(c) there are no alternative care options.

(2) In this case, the application must include a letter from a registered medical practitioner specialising in the area of illness of the person for whom the foreign national will be caring, confirming that the person has special care needs, and either:

(a) payslips or a copy of an employment detail summary demonstrating that the foreign national in respect of whom the application is made has a long history of employment as carer for the person concerned; or

(b) a notarised letter or an affidavit establishing that the foreign national in respect of whom the application is made has a long history of caring for the person concerned.

While no submissions have been received regarding changes to the eligibility criteria for carers of people with complex medical needs, my Department remains open to receiving evidence from stakeholders demonstrating ongoing recruitment difficulties and challenges regarding the currently eligible role, and the case for changes to the application procedure.