Work Permits.

Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 27 May 2004

Thursday, 27 May 2004

Questions (104, 105)

Róisín Shortall

Question:

101 Ms Shortall asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if she has satisfied herself with the present regime for persons residing on work permits such as a person (details supplied); if her attention has been drawn to the difficulties that such families have in making ends meet in view of the work restrictions placed on all of the family members; if such a regime of dependency is an intended outcome of her Department’s policy; if she will review the rules for such families who travel to Ireland on work permits to alleviate this disincentive for skilled workers with families travelling here on work permits; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16112/04]

Written answers

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

From the information supplied it appears that the person in question is working in Ireland on the basis of a working visa rather than the basis of a work permit. Spouses of non-EEA nationals are not prohibited from working in the State. However, they do require an employment permit in their own right.

In light of difficulties experienced by some spouses I recently announced new arrangements designed to give greater ease of access to employment for the spouses of certain non-EEA nationals working in the State under specified schemes and facilities, including the working visa facility. These arrangements are already in operation for some weeks now. Some 105 work permits have already been granted to eligible spouses.

A detailed set of guidelines, outlining the eligibility criteria and procedures relating to these arrangements, have been available on my Department's website since April. They have also been circulated to a range of Government Departments, health bodies and other relevant organisations, including employer organisations, to promote as wide a circulation of this information as possible.

There are about 30,000 non-EEA nationals working in Ireland on the basis of work permits and, as some 9,000 work visas or work authorisations have been granted to date, the implications of any proposal to grant automatic permission to work for other family members will need to be carefully assessed.

Jack Wall

Question:

102 Mr. Wall asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the position of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare seeking a work permit; when a decision will be made regarding this matter in view of the fact that their spouse has such a work permit and has resided in Ireland for one year; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16114/04]

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

I am informed that there is no record of a valid work permit application in this case. Applications which are incomplete or incorrect are returned to the employer for completion.