Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 6 Feb 2003

Vol. 560 No. 5

Written Answers. - Work Permits.

Willie Penrose

Question:

68 Mr. Penrose asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the way in which a person can obtain a work authorisation certificate to work here in particular in circumstances where a person's spouse who is a social worker has been specifically recruited by a health board to work here and where this person and their spouse have been living here since in or around September 2002 and whereby this person has a specific electronic engineering degree and has the possibility of securing employment in the information technology industry; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3083/03]

Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment (Ms Harney)

Work authorisations in respect of skilled employees in the medical, IT and construction professional sectors are intended for eligible persons applying from outside Ireland.

If an eligible employer wishes to employ a non-EEA, European Economic Area, national already resident in Ireland they can apply for a work permit. While spouses of work permit personnel are not automatically entitled to work in Ireland, each individual application is considered on its merit.