Vol. 561 No. 4
119 Mr. S. Ryan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the progress made to date in her consideration of the legal framework relating to the recruitment and employment of persons from outside the EU and EEA area; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4450/03]
My Department and the Office of the Parliamentary Counsel are proceeding with the drafting of the employment permits Bill as a priority item and it is hoped that it will be published by Easter. As an interim measure, my colleague, the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform, has introduced an amendment to the Immigration Bill 2002 on Committee Stage in Seanad Éireann to address an anomaly in the existing legislative basis governing the employment of non-EEA nationals in the State. This will have the effect of creating a specific criminal offence for both an employer and an employee to enter into a contract of employment in the absence of an employment permit where such a permit is required.
