Work Permits.

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 12 December 2006

Tuesday, 12 December 2006

Ceisteanna (351)

Arthur Morgan

Ceist:

370 Mr. Morgan asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if his attention has been drawn to the application under highly qualified and skilled category and subsequent appeal for a work permit for a person (details supplied); if his attention has been drawn to the fact that their employer has attempted to employ local or EEA national labour through FÁS and other media outlets but to no avail; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that the person possesses qualifications in both business administration and fine arts which would be adequate for the highly qualified and skilled category of the work permit application; if his attention has been further drawn to the fact that the person is willing to return to Pakistan in order to change their student status to that of full-time employee; and his views on reviewing the case and in doing so grant a work permit for the person. [42790/06]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment (Mr. Martin)

The Work Permits Section of my Department informs me that this application was refused on the basis that the above named individual entered the State to pursue a course of studies and is therefore not entitled to enter full time employment. I am also informed that having heard an appeal in this case the Work Permit Section upheld the original decision. However, it should be noted that students attending recognized programmes of study are entitled to work twenty hours per week during term time and forty hours per week during holidays without, at present, the need for a work permit.