David Cullinane (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I move amendment No. 7:

In page 16, line 12, to delete “or civil partner” and substitute the following:“, civil partner, or the former spouse or civil partner where a separation has occurred during the period of employment in the State”.

The legislation extends a work permit to spouses, in very limited circumstances, to encourage highly specialised workers to come to Ireland. We argue that where a spouse has worked in Ireland and been awarded an employment permit on that basis, he or she should not be treated differently but as if the marriage had continued. It would be a barmy situation if a partner who had lived here for a number of years, had children and worked all of that time found him- or herself having to leave his or her job and children and the country because a marriage had broken down. Such cases have occurred, as highlighted by the Migrant Rights Centre and Nasc. We are trying to fix this anomaly with our amendment and we hope the Minister will accept it.