Ms Clare Dunne:

The first point to make is that we do not issue permits on a regional basis. Our system is vacancy led. If there is a vacancy in a particular company or plant they apply for a permit and if they fulfil all the conditions, they will get a work permit, regardless of where they are based.

The second point is about wage levels. We are very clear that neither the Department nor the work permits regime is in the business of setting wages across the economy. We would have certain minima in place to ensure that we are not unnecessarily displacing domestic workers. In the particular case of the meat processing sector, it is probably not a secret to say that the level we set at €22,000 met with quite strong resistance from those in the sector, who felt it was too high.

The salaries of general operatives in the meat processing sector, as advanced in the case made, and we have engaged extensively with the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine on this, are lower than the €22,000 we insisted on. We are mindful of the fact that we do not want in any way to be a party to driving wages down. I hope that answers the Senator's question.