Written answers

Thursday, 7 April 2011

Department of Enterprise, Trade and Innovation

Work Permits

4:00 pm

Photo of Pat BreenPat Breen (Clare, Fine Gael)
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Question 51: To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Innovation the position regarding an application in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Clare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7161/11]

Photo of Richard BrutonRichard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)
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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.

My Department's target for processing correctly completed applications is 15 working days and permits in the high skilled areas such as Green Cards and Intra-Company Transfers are normally processed within this timeframe.

However, there has been a delay in the processing of other employment permit types i.e. Work Permits and Spousal/Dependant Permits. This can be attributed to a re-prioritisation of resources within the old Department of Enterprise, Trade and Innovation where a significant number of staff in the Employment Permits area were re-deployed to the Redundancy Payments area, where there was a strong need for additional resources to process payments to those who have lost their jobs. In relation to Work Permits and Spousal applications, measures have been put in place to address the current backlog.

I wish to advise the Deputy that the Work Permit application in question was received in my Department on the 22nd March 2011. The Section is currently processing Work Permit applications received on the 17th January 2011. Therefore, based on current processing times, a decision on this application can be expected within the next 10-12 weeks.

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