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Gnáthamharc

Business Permission.

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 17 February 2004

Tuesday, 17 February 2004

Ceisteanna (359)

Damien English

Ceist:

445 Mr. English asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the reason a non-EEA national who is legally residing in the State, in an application by him for business permission, has been asked for a statement of character from the police authority of each country in which they have resided, which in this case includes Ireland, when the police authority here under the Data Protection Act 1988 and the Data Protection (Amendment) Act 2003, section 4 does not empower them to provide information to a third party and does not provide a clearance or vetting procedure for employment purposes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4522/04]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

I refer the Deputy to my reply to Question No. 378 of 9 December 2003. Business permission is the permission granted by the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform to non-EEA nationals who wish to become established and engage in business in the State in a capacity other than as an employed person, for whom an employer would have to obtain a work permit. The criteria to be met by an applicant for business permission includes a requirement that the applicant must be of good character. In this regard, the applicants themselves are requested to provide a statement of character from the police authorities of each country in which they have resided for more than six months during the previous ten year period. The giving of information to data subjects about themselves is a general principle of data protection legislation.

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