Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 20 October 2020
511. Deputy Michael Ring asked the Minister for Justice if a community group that has investors ready to submit their application for the immigrant investor programme in respect of a purpose-built building needs to have the planning permission approval in place; and if it can apply for planning permission at a later stage in view of the fact that it may lose its investors if it has to wait until such time as planning permission is in place. [31016/20]
View answerThe Immigrant Investor Programme (IIP) provides non-EEA nationals with a number of options to invest in Ireland. Successful applicants are granted a permission to reside in Ireland for a fixed period.
Applications are assessed by an Evaluation Committee, composed of senior civil and public servants from relevant Government Departments and State Agencies involved in enterprise development in Ireland. Applications are assessed on the basis of the profile of the applicant, the commercial viability of the project, employment outcomes associated with the proposed investment and the overall benefit to the Irish State.
The Committee makes a determination as to whether a project is suitable for IIP investment and if deemed suitable, the individual application will be submitted to me for final approval.
The IIP is focused on supporting projects that are investment ready projects. A criteria for establishing same is that planning permission has been granted. The Evaluation Committee would not consider it appropriate for IIP permissions to be granted to projects where planning permission has not been approved.
