Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 6 November 2012
769. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the plans, if any, he has to implement the recommendation of the report by Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation entitled A review of the ICT skills demand in Ireland, seeking the introduction of a Technology Visa for IT professionals to address the present temporary skills shortage; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47216/12]
View answerI would refer the Deputy to my answers to previous Parliamentary Questions on this issue. My most recent reply to Parliamentary Question 42802/12 on 9 October last is reproduced for the Deputy's information.
While I am not averse in principle to the establishment of an immigration regime specifically geared to the technology sector, it would have to be on the basis that there was concrete evidence of a particular skills deficit in the labour market that cannot be filled by Irish or EU citizens. That labour market assessment would ultimately be a matter for my colleague the Minister for Jobs Enterprise and Innovation. In this regard it should be borne in mind that the technology sector spans a broad range of skills with differing levels of supply and demand.
I would also envisage that applicants for any such programmes would be subject to a rigorous assessment of their qualifications and experience to ensure that their skill sets are appropriate for the sector in question.
In any event, the existing visa application arrangements are entirely flexible and designed to cater for the widest possible range of applicants who may wish to come here as workers, visitors, professionals and so forth.
While I appreciate that the term "Technology Visa" is in common usage in respect of this issue, that description is somewhat misleading. In reality what we are talking about here are employment permits and any person who is successful in obtaining such a permit can reasonably expect to be granted immigration status on foot of it. My Department and the Department of Jobs Enterprise and Innovation are also working together to see how our collective processes can be streamlined.
