The full statement issued yesterday by the Tanaiste, Ms Harney, on new labour market immigration policy said:
The Tanaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Mary Harney, today (Tuesday, 28th March, 2000) announced details of a new labour market immigration policy designed to meet the skills requirements in the Irish economy over the next six years.
Pointing out that the natural growth of the labour force would be insufficient on its own to meet the employment needs of the economy, the Tanaiste said "the Government has agreed on an integrated strategy to increase the labour supply which will consist of a number of complementary elements."
"Firstly, as and from today, a new work visa scheme will apply in respect of people coming from non-EEA countries to take up employment in Ireland. This scheme will allow the prospective employee to apply to the Irish Embassy or Consulate in their home country and to have the work authorisation placed on their passport. The scheme will apply initially to people working in the information technology sector, to nurses to and construction professionals," the Tanaiste said.
"An Advisory Group representative of the Social Partners, Government Departments, and the development agencies will be established to review this scheme, the categories of workers to whom it applies and to recommend on its extension in the future," the Tanaiste added.
"Secondly, my Department and its agencies will undertake regular and detailed assessments of skills vacancies throughout the economy. FAS as well as our embassies and consulates abroad, both within Europe and elsewhere, will ensure that the opportunities that exist in Ireland are well publicised and are brought to the attention of the widest possible group, both of Irish people living abroad and others. Indeed I anticipate that most of the new overseas job seekers will actually be Irish people returning home," the Tanaiste continued.
"This campaign will involve expenditure of £4m by FAS between now and the end of 2002. In addition, the full participation and involvement of employers and employment agencies will be crucial to the campaign's success," continued the Tanaiste.
"Finally, and to complement this new approach, the resourcing and responsiveness of the existing work permit system will be upgraded and improved," the Tanaiste said.
"We will also be seeking, through measures aimed at training, re-training and upskilling, to ensure that the maximum number of people currently unemployed have the opportunity to participate in employment growth in the economy," the Tanaiste said.
The Tanaiste continued "In recent years Ireland's economy has outperformed almost every other developed economy and has been one of the fastest growing in the western world. One of the crucial reasons for this extraordinary phenomenon has been the availability of a highly educated, highly skilled and highly motivated workforce.
If the economy is to continue to thrive, as I am determined it should, we must remain competitive and we must continue to meet the demand for labour. We will only do this if we recognise the role that can be played by immigration in the development of our labour market and adopt an imaginative and enlightened approach to the question."
"All in all, this new policy is indicative of a modern, thriving economy and reflects Ireland's new found status as a self-confident society no longer challenged by its past. I am confident too that the measures we are taking will contribute to the development of our labour force and will ensure that we can continue to lead the world economies into the new century," concluded the Tanaiste.