asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce whether any decision has yet been taken in the matter of admitting selected displaced persons from the continent of Europe who seek domestic employment in this country.
Ceisteanna—Questions Oral Answers. - Admission of Displaced Persons.
It has now been decided that employment permits may be issued under Section 5 (3) (b) of the Aliens Order, 1946, to employers wishing to employ alien females as domestic servants.
May I inquire from the Minister for the information of such would-be employers, is the correct procedure this: To make contact with an individual alien, and on getting particulars can they ascertain from the Department what particulars the Department will require to know of the alien in order to consider the alien's application for a permit to enter? I should also like to know, should the actual application for a permit to enter be made by the prospective employer or by the intending immigrant?
The matters to which the Deputy's supplementary question refers are mainly for the Department of Justice. The admission of aliens to this country is supervised by the Department of Justice. The application for a permit to enter must be made by the prospective employer. The employer must previously have obtained from the Department of Industry and Commerce a permit to employ an alien. Having got that employment permit, he will then take up with the Department of Justice the question of the admission of the particular alien whom he wishes to employ. The Department of Justice will be concerned primarily with the suitability and personal character of the alien.
In view of the simple but duplex procedure involved here, will the Minister consider having printed a leaflet either under his own Department or the Department of Justice which would be available to prospective employers with instructions as to what is the correct way of proceeding? I imagine that a good many people will desire to proceed directly. If they find a good deal of difficulty in doing what is necessary, it may, possibly, give rise to an awkward situation by bringing aliens to their doors and then finding that they had not done what was right.
There will be no change in the procedure. Presumably full information concerning the procedure can be obtained from the Garda Síochana or at the Aliens Office. The only change has been in regard to matters affecting the Department of Industry and Commerce. Heretofore, no employer, under any circumstances, would get a permit to employ an alien as a domestic servant.
If the Minister had ever tried, as I have, to bring an alien into the country he would know that the procedure laid down is very elaborate.