It is in the interests of any country, particularly one which has experienced the devastating unemployment levels which were visited upon Ireland in recent decades, to protect its job market as much as possible. However, there is a balance to be struck and this arises in the case of the small and highly skilled group of non-EU nationals who are here as resident aliens to pursue postgraduate studies in universities and other higher education institutions.
Such people are not permitted to work legally for the duration of the period they are in the country if they are here on a bona fide postgraduate studies basis. It is a condition of the permission granted that they do not engage in any employment or business activity. I am aware that it is the opinion of officials within the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform and the United States Embassy that this condition is unfair in its application by Irish authorities to postgraduate students from the United States given the lenient US position allowing non-national postgraduate students to work there legally.
I hope to hear from the policy section of the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform that this is not a blindly entrenched position which is inherited and anachronistic and that the Department is prepared to examine the issue on its merits. A passports for investment scheme was operated in the past for those endowed with large amounts of capital. Can temporary work permits not be granted to postgraduate students who, by virtue of their academic accomplishments, have won places at postgraduate level in our institutions of further education?
Among the merits of including this small and highly skilled group in the workforce would be the encouragement of outside investment and job creation because of the availability of technically and academically highly skilled workers. Universities would gain the ability to attract the best and most qualified scholars and not just the best of the independently wealthy scholars, despite the limited funding available for non-EU citizens studying at postgraduate level. Making postgraduate study less financially punitive for non-EU nationals could increase the revenue of the universities since non-EU nationals are required to pay up to 300 per cent more in fees than their EU counterparts.
Changes to the current restrictive regime could be made with sensitivity to protect the interests of Irish and EU citizens. The number of hours worked per week could be limited, annual income capped, employment options restricted to short-term or contract positions and work permits granted in a head to head exchange with Irish citizens studying in, for example, the United States.
Given the historical, political and familial relations between Ireland and the United States, it seems reasonable to foster the academic relationship between the two countries. How many distinguished Irish figures hold honorary doctorates from American universities and vice versa? The Taoiseach received a doctorate from the University of Notre Dame this week. Many in the House are contributing something to such an exchange by hosting participants in the IPA internship programme. Allowing postgraduate students to legally earn the money to help with their weekly rent and groceries would be a simple way of achieving a lofty goal.
