Damien English (Meath West, Fine Gael)
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I move amendment No. 26:

In page 48, line 40, to delete “without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing” and substitute “subject to subsection (3)”.

This amendment to section 32, which provides for additional grounds for refusing to renew an employment permit. Specifically, subsection (1)(d) will be subject to a new subsection (3), which is added by amendment No. 27.

Amendment No. 27 inserts a new subsection (3), which allows a Minister to renew an employment permit which is already in force even if the law under which the permit was issued has now become ineligible. This is for fairness and predictability for the employer and employee about the benefit of a permit that is already in force and recognises that removal of a role from an eligible list is not retrospective, because if there is sufficient labour supply for a role, that includes labour supply due to permits already in force. If employees are looking to renew permits that are already in place, this is only fair to them. This does not apply to the grant of permits but just to renewal.