Vol. 535 No. 3
24 Mr. Timmins asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if the intra-corporate transfer scheme facilitating a foreign employer arranging employment for non-European Union nationals here places Irish indigenous companies at a disadvantage; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12402/01]
61 Mr. Timmins asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if she will examine a difficulty on the matter of inter corporate transfers which facilitate a non-national employer posting a non-European Union national here for work purposes and in particular, the need to receive sanction from the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform in certain cases which is impacting negatively on some Irish companies; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12422/01]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 24 and 61 together.
The intra-corporate transfer facility is one of a number of changes to the arrangements governing work permits which was agreed between the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform and this Department in April, 1999.
The intra-corporate transfer facility allows existing employees, who are posted for a maximum period of four years to an establishment or undertaking in Ireland that is owned by a company or group which has operations in more than one State, to work in Ireland without requiring a work permit. It is a practical step that permits employees in a particular company to transfer for a limited period of time without having to go through further administrative procedures. Such internal secondments are a routine and essential feature of most multi-nationals' operations.
Any company, foreign or indigenous, that seeks to bring in new employees must first seek to source such employees within Ireland or the EEA, European Economic Area. When reasonable efforts have been made to do so but without success, the company may seek employees outside the EEA. In these instances, a work permit must be applied for to employ a non-EEA national. Foreign companies, located here, seeking to bring in non-EEA nationals, who are not already working with the company abroad, must also apply for a work permit for the said individual. There is no comparison between this scenario and the intra-corporate transfer facility.
