The new procedures relating to recruitment of personnel from outside the European Economic Area, EEA, were introduced in light of recent changes in the economic climate in Ireland, notably the increase in the level of unemployment. They are designed to verify that employers are making all reasonable efforts to recruit locally or through the wider EEA market before looking to employ non-EEA nationals, by obliging employers to register job vacancies with FÁS before making a work permit application.
Renewals of permits in respect of existing employees by existing employers will be readily facilitated and such employees are not in any way threatened. The new arrangements do not apply to recruitment of medical professionals because of the obvious shortages of skilled personnel in that sector.
I am aware of representations made by various employer groups, including IBEC, regarding the new arrangements which came into effect as recently as 2 January. As job vacancies can take some four to six weeks to process through FÁS, it is too early yet to tell how effective the new system is in sourcing Irish-EEA staff. The implementation and effectiveness of the new arrangements will be monitored closely. I am not aware of any concerns expressed by trades unions regarding the introduction of the new procedures.
While non-EEA personnel are recruited to fill specific vacancies by specific employers, they have the same rights as Irish employees and my Department has in practice, on a case by case basis, facilitated changes of employer subject to the issue of a new work permit. However, I would not favour any arrangement whereby large numbers of relatively unskilled personnel are simply coming to Ireland in search of work without any guarantee of finding it.
Question No. 116 answered with Question No. 74.
