Gerald Nash (Louth, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I support the position articulated by Deputy Barry. I have come across these situations. The first question the Minister of State needs to answer is what the position is, formally, in that regard. We have been reading reports about it but nothing formal has emerged from the Department at this point. There was a recent adjustment regarding the permits, up from €27,000 to €30,000. The logical next question is this. What about those on existing permits? Will they receive that uplift when the time comes? It is an important point and is of interest to SIPTU, for example, which has been raising this issue.

There has been some confusion. I have come across reports from employees of, putting it generously, employers leaning on them to keep their salary at €27,000 to maintain the threshold as it stands. It would be useful for everybody to have clarity about the position. If that is to be paused, what is the reason? When can we expect the new system to be up and running? This was long expected, well reported and well articulated. Will the Minister of State put the position on the record?

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