Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 30 Jan 2001

Vol. 529 No. 1

Written Answers. - Work Permits.

John Gormley

Ceist:

165 Mr. Gormley asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if she has considered the case of a person (details supplied); and if she will allow this person a work permit in order that the family can live in Dublin and be near hospital facilities required by his wife. [30520/00]

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

I understand that Mr. Ngadi has sought refugee status in this country. The issue of asylum seekers is a matter, in the first instance, for my colleague, the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform, Deputy O'Donoghue.

Asylum seekers are not, generally, permitted to work here pending determination of their case by the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform. Section 9(4)(b) of the Refugee Act, 1996, provides that an applicant for refugee status may not enter employment during the period before the final determination of his or her application. If Mr. Ngadi should prove successful in his application for refugee status he will not, then, require a work permit to take up employment here.

Bernard Allen

Ceist:

166 Mr. Allen asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the reason no response has been issued to an application made by a person (details supplied) in County Cork for a work permit; and the reason the person has not received any reference number or acknowledgement to his application. [1879/01]

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

There is no record of an application for a work permit by the individual named having been received in my Department. An application for a work permit to employ a non-European Economic Area national may be made by an employer in this country when he or she has been unable to recruit an Irish or other EEA national for the job concerned. General information on the criteria and procedures that apply to work permits is available from the Department's website at www.entemp.ie. Application forms are also available from the website.