Vol. 449 No. 8
105 Miss Harney asked the Minister for Enterprise and Employment the discussions, if any, he has had with the Department of the Marine with regard to the employment of non-EU citizens, without work permits, to fulfil dredging contracts in the harbours at Cork, Waterford and Malahide, County Dublin.[4639/95]
The situation regarding work permits in respect of the non-EU citizens employed in the dredging operations in the harbours at Cork, Waterford and Malahide has already been considered by my Department in consultation with the Department of Justice which has responsibility for the Aliens legislation. The Department of Justice has decided that the non-nationals in question do not come within the scope of the Aliens legislation as technically they have not landed in the State.
The legal provisions relating to work permits are set out in the Aliens (Amendment) Order, 1975, which states that an alien may not enter the service of an employer in the State save in accordance with a permit issued to the employer by the Minister for Enterprise and Employment. As the non-EU employees in question are not regarded as having entered the State the question of work permits does not arise.
This matter has already been explained to the Department of the Marine. I have recently received further representations in the matter from the Minister of State at that Department and I will be responding to them in due course.
