Terence Flanagan (Dublin North East, Fine Gael)
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Question 110: To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if he has any plans to make changes to the employment permit system; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33777/12]

Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)
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The Employment Permits Acts 2003 and 2006 allow for the issuing of employment Permits. It is current Government policy to issue new employment permits in respect of jobs requiring key skills and where there is a recognised scarcity of suitably skilled workers. I am happy that the Employment Permits procedure as it is currently constituted both protects the Irish labour market and ensures that specialised skills are made available to the Irish economy when the need arises.

However my Department is currently preparing new legislation relating to all employment permit procedures. The purpose of the legislation will be to streamline the Employment Permits Act 2003 and the Employment Permits Act 2006. It is anticipated that this legislation will prepare for future accession states to the EU and update provisions for the employment permits schemes in line with policy and economic developments since 2006.