Jack Wall (Kildare South, Labour)
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Question 176: To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Innovation the position regarding an application for a work permit in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6723/11]

Jack Wall (Kildare South, Labour)
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Question 178: To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Innovation the position regarding an application for a work permit in respect of a person ( details supplied ) in County Kildare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6757/11]

Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Question Nos. 176 and 178 together.

My Department processes applications in respect of the different types of employment permits (Green Cards Permits, Work Permits, Spousal/Dependant Permits and Intra-company Transfer Permits). All applications are processed in line with the Employment Permits Act 2006.

I wish to advise the Deputy that this particular application was refused on the 20th January 2011 on the grounds that it is current Government policy to issue new employment permits only in respect of: · highly skilled, highly paid positions or; · non-EEA nationals who are already legally resident in the State on valid employment permits or; · where there is an officially recognized scarcity of workers of a particular type or qualification. A list of the ineligible job categories for employment permits is available at my Department's website at www.deti.ie .

The job category described as work rider is currently not eligible for the granting of new employment permits and new permits are normally only considered where a starting salary of €30,000 is on offer. Having examined the appeal, the Appeals Officer upheld the original decision in this case on the 1st April 2011 and the fees are in the process of being refunded to the applicant. In these circumstances, therefore, I regret that it is not possible to re-visit this application.