Jonathan O'Brien (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein)
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124. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality the options available to a business permission holder who wishes to start a new business in place of the one for which permission was granted, given the moratorium on applications for new business permission. [15729/16]

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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I am informed by the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) of my Department that arising from an ongoing review of Business, Entrepreneur and Investor  related migration schemes currently being undertaken by the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS), it was decided to suspend the 'Business Permission Scheme' with effect from 16th March 2016 until further notice.

The suspension does not affect applications received before that date or the status of persons already holding permission under the scheme. Therefore, it is open to the person the subject of the Deputy's question to write to Residence Unit 3, INIS, Burgh Quay, Dublin 2, seeking a renewal of their existing business permission. All applications are dealt with on a case by case basis, looking at the individual merits of each case.

If the application is not for renewal of business permission but the person seeks permission to remain on the basis of a different business proposal then it is open to the person to make an application for permission to remain in the State under the Entrepreneur scheme.

Queries in relation to the status of individual immigration cases may be made directly to INIS by email using the Oireachtas Mail facility which has been specifically established for this purpose. This service enables up to date information on such cases to be obtained without the need to seek information by way of the Parliamentary Questions process. The Deputy may consider using the email service except in cases where the response from INIS is, in the Deputy's view, inadequate or too long awaited.