Bernard J. Durkan
Ceist:134 Mr. Durkan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the extent to which the waiting lists for work permits have been reduced; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3618/02]
Written Answers. - Work Permits.
Bernard J. Durkan
Ceist:135 Mr. Durkan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the weekly average number of applications for work permits; if the number is increasing or decreasing; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3619/02]
Bernard J. Durkan
Ceist:141 Mr. Durkan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the number of applications for work permits which have been refused in each of the past 12 months; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3625/02]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 134, 135 and 141 together.
The waiting list or backlog of work permit applications awaiting decision has increased from 1,900 on 1 January 2001 to 6,953 applications last December and is directly related to the increase in the number of applications being received. The backlog on 31 January 2002 stood at 5,529 applications.
The number of work permit applications increased from an average of over 350 per week in 2000 to over 825 per week last year. The level of applications climbed during the year and in December alone, an unprecedented 5,690 applications were received. New procedures were introduced with effect from 2 January 2002 and this has resulted, at least temporarily, in a reduction in the number of applications received. The average number of complete and valid applications for January 2002 was 325 applications per week.
While the staff of the section was increased by 50% last year in an effort to reduce processing time, the very large increase in applications meant that the waiting period could not be reduced. Nevertheless, the staff in the section issued 36,436 permits in 2001, compared with some 18,000 in the year 2000.
The number of work permit applications refused for each of the past 12 months is as follows:–
|
Jan |
Feb |
Mar |
Apr |
May |
June |
Jul |
Aug |
Sept |
Oct |
Nov |
Dec |
|
41 |
39 |
79 |
104 |
67 |
40 |
58 |
75 |
79 |
80 |
116 |
91 |
The number of refusals last month was 157.