Tony Gregory (Dublin Central, Independent)
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Question 721: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the position regarding a request for family reunification and an application for a work permit for their spouse by a person (details supplied) in Dublin 1. [10576/05]

Michael McDowell (Dublin South East, Progressive Democrats)
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The person referred to by the Deputy is a non-EEA national employed in the State under the employment permit scheme. The general rule in these cases is that the worker may be joined by his or her spouse and dependent children once the worker has completed one year's service with his or her employer and has been offered a contract for a further year. This is subject to the worker being in a position to support his or her family without recourse to public funds.

I am informed that a visa application for the spouse of the person referred to by the Deputy was approved, following appeal, on 3 February 2005. However I am also informed that there is no record of an application having been made by or on behalf of the daughter of the non-EEA national in question. An application should be submitted for each person intending to travel. Therefore, should the daughter of the individual in question still wish to travel, a formal visa application must be submitted on her behalf.

I note that, on the basis of the documentation supplied to my Department, it would appear that the work permit held by the person in question has expired and that the worker is no longer employed by the employer to whom the work permit was issued. With regard to the Deputy's inquiry as to the position regarding an application for a work permit for the spouse of the person in question, this is purely a matter for the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment. My Department has no mandate in this area.