Breeda Moynihan-Cronin (Kerry South, Labour)
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Question 70: To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the number of work permits issued to date under the new arrangements to give access to employment to the spouses of non-EEA nationals working in this country; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12094/05]

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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Under the arrangement to facilitate certain spouses, 1,019 work permits in respect of the spouses of non-EEA nationals working here were issued up to 15 April 2005.

Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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Will the Minister take the opportunity to give an exposition of Government policy as regards the allowing of spouses of all work permit holders to come and reside in the country?

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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Will the Deputy clarify the last part of the question, about all permit holders?

Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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I am asking what Government policy is as regards allowing spouses into this country. If tens of thousands of work permits are being issued on average, the current ballpark figure is between 40,000 and 50,000 annually. The number of work permits issued, more than 1,000 according to the Minister, is a tiny fraction of that figure. What is the Government's policy? What criteria is used to allow spouses to come to Ireland? Is it the case that where spouses are allowed to enter the State, they too are given work permits?

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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The Tánaiste, when Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, introduced an initiative in February 2004 to facilitate easier access to the labour market by spouses of certain skilled non-EEA nationals working in the State. Concerns had been raised about Ireland's continued capacity to attract high-skilled personnel, particularly in cases where spouses did not have an automatic right to work in the State. I recall when holding the health portfolio, this problem was most evident in the health services for the approximately 4,500 high-skilled nurses from outside the European Economic Area. They indicated their willingness to stay in the health sector depended on their spouses being allowed to join them and permitted to work. The arrangements made were confined to spouses working in the State on working visas or work authorisations, to spouses of certain intra-company transferees and spouses of certain academics and researchers. Medical professionals on work permits were dealt with on a case-by-case basis.

Most spouses travelling to Ireland, arrive on a spouse's visa which does not allow them to work in the State. However, when they find a job they can obtain a work permit. The new rules are aimed at giving greater ease of access to employment for those spouses for the estimated 10,000 skilled non-EEA nationals working in the labour market. By 15 April 2005, up to 1,041 work permit applications were received in respect of the spouses of non-EEA nationals. Of those, 1,019 were granted. It is a fairly high response rate.

Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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I am trying to elucidate what exactly is the Government's policy. It seems to be a very limited area, where the spouses of workers who are attracted to this economy and given work permits and are allowed to join them and work in this economy. I have dealt with several cases of where family members of doctors from abroad had difficulties in getting visitors' visas to enter the State. It links into the family friendly workplace issue. Will the Minister consider extending the supports for families to include the families of workers attracted to and required for our economy so that we do not have forced separation? Will the Minister agree that 1,000 work permits, against the backdrop of the number of migrant workers entering the State, is a tiny proportion? It will have the effect of making this economy unattractive for skilled workers when a more progressive policy is available in other developed European and north American countries.

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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Ireland is an attractive location.

Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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We are for some skills.

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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I am unclear if the Deputy is referring to all workers.

Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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I did not say that.

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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That is more in convergence with the Government's policy.

Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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Will the Minister define the skills?

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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The work visa authorisation scheme was brought in for health care workers, construction professionals and IT workers.

Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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Has this been reviewed yet?

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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It has not been reviewed since its introduction. The legislation allows us to either give a statutory underpinning to the scheme or review the policy. As these were areas of acute staff shortages in the economy, the Government changed the arrangements for those workers. Economic migration policy is adaptable and flexible to the given needs of a given time. It is not asylum policy that creates an open door, merging the asylum issue with economic migration. These are issues that need to be addressed collectively.

Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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The Government has not facilitated such a debate.

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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A point was raised earlier that if so many workers are coming in, what will be the impact on education and health services and other structures? There needs to be limits, balances and some degree of caution in thinking this through to five year's time. Originally, work permits were not intended for the long haul but for the duration of only one to two years.

Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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Will the Minister engage with the Joint Committee on Enterprise and Small Business on this issue? He has made valid points that have not been debated properly with cross-party consensus. I am specifically referring to individuals whose spouses are in Ireland and who have skills that could add to the economy but are debarred from it. They feel excluded although they are resident in Ireland. Will a case-by-case based facility be put in place for those affected spouses to have their cases heard?

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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In the cases of spouses of skilled non-EEA workers, 1,041 applied for permits of which 1,019 were granted.

Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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There is no basis for them to apply because there is no scheme.

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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I examined the cases of medical professionals on the old work permit scheme on an individual basis.

Arthur Morgan (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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These numbers are modest. Will the Minister accept that if a much-needed worker is granted a permit, it is then reasonable that he or she should not be separated from his or her partner? In most Irish families, both parents work to maintain the household. These permit workers are no different. Is it not fair that they should be offered the opportunity for their spouses to work?

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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Not everyone comes to work in Ireland with a view to bringing the entire family.

Arthur Morgan (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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I accept this.

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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Many skilled workers see it as a phase where they come to Ireland to earn higher wages and remunerate their families at home to increase their living standards. This is an understandable desire, as the Irish did it for many generations. There must be some balance in how we address this issue. Ireland has been more generous than most by having an open policy to inward worker migration. This was evidenced in our response in advance of the ten accession states joining the EU.

Arthur Morgan (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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The numbers are very small.

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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The numbers are substantial. Approximately 50,000 workers entered from the ten new EU member states in six months because Ireland had no barriers and those workers did not require work permits. There is complete mobility for all citizens of EU member states to work in Ireland.

Arthur Morgan (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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The point is that the numbers of workers from outside the EU are small.