Urgent consideration must be given to placing the role of agricultural or heavy vehicle mechanic on the critical skills list maintained by the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment, independent TD for Laois Offaly, Carol Nolan, has said.

Deputy Nolan made the comments following representations from the Farm Tractor and Machinery Trade Association (FTMTA), which said its members are facing enormous and prolonged difficulties around recruitment of skilled staff in areas of the agriculture sector.

Deputy Nolan has urged that “it is an option that Government must give serious attention to”.

“Organisations, such as the FTMTA, clearly cannot source suitable workers. Irish/EEA nationals undertake the work that is needed and that is why they have called for a review of the critical skills list, to support the inclusion of agricultural mechanics.

“This is a conversation we need to have if farms that rely on the expertise of agricultural mechanics are to survive without major inconvenience or disruption to their operations.”

Review

The independent TD was speaking after the Minister for Employment, Simon Coveney, confirmed to her in a parliamentary reply that while the occupation of mechanic - agricultural or heavy vehicle - is currently on the ineligible occupations list, an employment permit cannot be granted at present.

Minister Coveney said his department has engaged with the Department of Transport on the sector and expects to receive a submission on mechanics when a review of the occupations lists commences in coming weeks.

“As I understand it from the FTMTA, there are in excess of 670 vacant positions for agricultural mechanics across the industry and on average, every farm machinery dealership has two open positions for a qualified mechanic,” said deputy Nolan.

“I also understand that 85% of farm machinery dealerships are trying to recruit with 67% having positions open for more than six months.

“There also needs to be a renewed focus on developing apprenticeships for these roles, so that we can draw our own young people in to develop a rewarding and necessary set of critical skills,” concluded deputy Nolan.