Small firms group seeks overhaul of Irish immigration policies
30/12/2004 - 07:42:29The Small Firms Association (SFA) has called for a major overhaul of Ireland's immigration policies in an effort to attract more foreign workers.
In an end-of-year statement, the business group said Ireland needed an influx of migrant workers to keep its economy growing.
The SFA criticised existing "ad hoc" immigration policies, saying they were creating confusion for employers.
It also said the Government had failed to implement new measures despite an extensive three-year review and public consultation process.
The association has called on the Fianna Fáil-Progressive Democrats coalition to introduce new measures to attract skilled and mobile workers and to establish a green card system similar to the United States for low-skilled workers.
