A ban on recruitment of migrants on work permits for a variety of jobs including child-minding, bar work and general labouring will be extended until the end of this month.
The restrictions introduced three months ago are to be retained pending a review of the operation of the rules, which are aimed at ensuring that Irish and other European nationals are given priority in the labour market.
The changes to the main scheme for immigrant workers were prompted by growing concerns by the authorities that employers were bypassing local workers in favour of cheaper labour from outside the European Economic Area (EEA).
The EEA comprises all the EU states plus Norway, Liechtenstein and Iceland. EEA nationals do not need work permits in Ireland whereas workers from outside these countries do. Em- ployers are obliged to try to fill vacancies with either Irish or other EEA citizens before looking farther afield.
The list of occupational categories which will remain ineligible for work permit holders until the end of July is based on an assessment by FÁS and the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment that there are sufficient domestic personnel to fill vacancies in these areas.
These include all clerical and administrative positions, operator and production staff, general labourers and builders, sales staff including retail sales, reception and bar staff, childcare workers including child-minders and creche workers, transport staff including drivers, and craft workers including carpenters, joiners and plumbers.
The restrictions were introduced last April and were due to be reviewed at the end of June. However, a FÁS spokesman said yesterday its analysis of how the new system is operating is currently under way and will be completed by the end of the month.
A spokeswoman for the Department, which issues permits, said the exclusions would continue throughout July. She said it was too early to say what impact the new rules have had as applications already in the system when the changes were introduced have all been honoured.
The Chambers of Commerce of Ireland has started surveying its members about the impact of the amendments. Its head of policy, Ms Carmel Mulroy, said there had been some complaints from members that the childcare and mechanics sectors were off limits for work permits.
FÁS, the Department, em- ployers bodies and trade unions are meeting this week to discuss the work permit restrictions against a backdrop of growing unemployment.
A total of 21,819 work permits were issued in the first six months of this year, including 9,430 renewals.