David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister. I urge her to move that along as quickly as possible, given it has been ongoing for some time.

On the issue of employment permits, we are an outlier in the European Union and, indeed, in much of the OECD world in that there is no direct access for dependants of those with intra-company transfer employment permits. We are the only ones who do not give that access. The Minister of State, Deputy Richmond, tells me the Department of Justice has responsibility for the granting of immigration permissions and he has written to the Minister on this issue. This has been ongoing for some time. He also tells me it is detrimental to the country that this is happening and that we are losing out because of it. What is required to allow the spouses of those with intra-company transfer employment permits to work here, as they can do in all other EU countries, the United States, Canada, Australia, most of South America and everywhere else? I acknowledge we opted out of a European directive, but we do not need to opt in to that to make this happen. What is needed to make it happen?

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