John Perry (Sligo-North Leitrim, Fine Gael)
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I wish to share time with Deputy Noel O'Flynn. I welcome the opportunity to raise an issue of some practical significance to the country and the economy. Ireland has a practical and developing relationship with Taiwan within the framework of its overall policy position on relations with countries in the region. Many European countries have established a well-staffed representative office in Taiwan as a fundamental part of the policy to develop economic trade there, while also developing a relationship with China. The staffing of these offices ranges from five people for Austria and Belgium, to 29 for Germany and as many as 53 for the United Kingdom and 55 for France. In addition, the European Union has a large office in Taiwan with more than 50 staff.

Ireland should upgrade the scale and scope of its presence in Taiwan as the foundation stone upon which better economic and social relations can be built. Taiwan encourages freedom of movement internationally. Based on the spirit of the 1944 Chicago convention on international civil aviation, Taiwan has granted visa exemption to 38 countries, including 24 of 27 EU member states. Ireland is one of 27 European countries currently enjoying a 30-day visa-exempt entry arrangement into Taiwan, a privilege it has enjoyed since 2003.

Visa exemption is a powerful means to enhance trade relations. Total annual trade between Ireland and Taiwan stands at approximately €1 billion, of which almost €250 million is accounted for by Taiwan's imports from Ireland. Taiwan is one of the world's most robust economies and is the world's sixteenth largest economy. Its trade surplus is quite substantial and its foreign reserves are among the world's largest. Ireland is not reaching its potential for trade with Taiwan. In the current international economic climate and at a time when our economy is in decline and needs all the support and stimulus available, the impetus must surely be for Ireland to take the initiative and further develop trade links.

Visa exemption is a powerful means by which to enhance the tourism trade. Some 260,000 Taiwanese travel to Europe each year. Surveys in Taiwan indicate this number would be considerably higher were it not for prohibitive visa regimes. Following the introduction of a visa waiver scheme for Taiwan nationals visiting Japan in 2005, tourist numbers visiting Japan rose by 30%. Taiwan people that travel overseas are generally quite wealthy and have proven to be valuable tourists who contribute strongly to the host country. Visa-free entry to Ireland would attract an increasing number of Taiwan tourists visiting Europe and the UK. If Ireland lifted its visa barrier and could attract a small percentage of visitors to Europe, it would be a substantial gain for the tourist industry in view of visitor purchasing power.

Now is the time to take the initiative on the tourism front. Following the UK announcement of a six-month visa-free entry system, Taiwanese interest in visiting the UK has soared. Tour operators are now introducing a whole range of new travel packages. This is a great potential source of new and immediate revenue. A visa waiver to visit Ireland would certainly attract a proportion of Taiwanese visitors to the UK to also visit Ireland.

In the area of education the difficulties for students attaining an entry visa imposes a particular handicap on any student considering visiting Ireland. That the existing entry requirements into the UK are a good deal easier than attaining a visa to come to Ireland is evident from the fact that some 8,500 students from Taiwan travel to the UK every year, and make a contribution of more than £1 billion to the UK economy. Increasing the international student market should be a key short-term objective for the educational sector. Travelling Taiwanese students are well educated, highly motivated and adequately financed. They should become a key market for our educational institutions. However, we are a good deal behind our main competitors in this market, and with the introduction of a new six-month visa-free entry in the UK, Ireland is now in danger of being completely excluded from this market. Time is of the essence in this issue. We must avail of the window of opportunity and act now.

Noel O'Flynn (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
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The cold war is over between the People's Republic of China and the Republic of China, Taiwan. The political question has been put aside, as President Ma stated during a visit by Deputies to Taiwan last August. Taiwan is investing heavily in The People's Republic of China in such areas as tourism. As Deputy Perry stated, we seem to be falling behind other EU countries. Some €40 billion in goods and services is exported from the EU to Taiwan each year. Germany is the largest exporter and we export €250 million. As Deputy Perry indicated, we import €750 million which is an imbalance.

It is time to organise an official trade mission to Taiwan. I call on the Minister of State at the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Deputy John McGuinness, to consider putting this proposal to the Government. We should explain to the Chinese ambassador that we subscribe to the one China policy. However, it should be possible to have Taiwan as one of our trading partners, as is the case in all other EU countries. We should carry on more business in Taiwan. We should beef up the number of staff from the Department of Foreign Affairs staff in Taiwan; at present, there is only one staff member in place. I support the visa proposal. Some nine students from Taiwan are studying in Ireland. It is almost impossible to get a visa, but there are just less than 7,132 studying in England. English is our second language. Taiwanese people seek to come to Ireland, but we must make it easier to do so. I welcome the move in the UK this week of providing a clear visa with no restrictions for people travelling to Taiwan for six months.

All universities in the country are open for business. I recently brought Representative Lee to University College Cork where the president of the college said that it was open for business and wanted the students because they are worth €35,000 each to this economy every year.

Mary Wallace (Meath East, Fianna Fail)
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In March 2007 the UK introduced a visa waiver test to assess the effectiveness of its visa regime. Travel to the UK from every country outside of the EEA and Switzerland was measured against a range of criteria, including illegal immigration, crime and security concerns. In July 2008 the results of this test were assessed and the UK then entered into a six month period of dialogue with the countries concerned to consider what steps might be taken to address the issues arising.

Following the end of that period, the Home Office announced on Monday 9 February 2009 that the UK had decided to impose a visa requirement on nationals of Bolivia, Lesotho, South Africa, Swaziland and Venezuela and had decided to lift the visa requirement for Taiwanese passport holders for short visits of less than six months. This waiver is due to take effect from 3 March 2009.

It is worth noting that the visa regime in the UK operates differently from the Irish regime in so far as all persons other than EU, EEA and Swiss nationals are required to obtain an entry visa or pre-entry clearance for stays in the UK for periods in excess of six months, regardless of the purpose of journey. This will continue to be the case for Taiwan even after the visa waiver is introduced. In contrast, the Irish system operates on the basis that, depending of his or her nationality, the visitor is either visa required or not, irrespective of the length of his or her stay or its purpose.

The net result of the change in the UK is that students coming for university courses or other educational programmes lasting more than six months will continue to require visas but those coming for shorter periods will not. Tourists and others coming on short visits will also be exempted.

The existence of a visa requirement should not be a significant impediment to genuine visitors. On the contrary its purpose is to separate the credible applications from the rest and the establishment of dedicated Irish visa offices in a number of countries has yielded significant benefits in this regard.

In the light of the common travel area, however, it is important that the Irish and British visa lists cohere in all practical respects to the extent warranted by immigration concerns. To this end, Ireland must take serious account of any alterations in the UK regime. The implications of the UK decision to introduce new visa requirements for nationals of Bolivia, Lesotho, South Africa, Swaziland and Venezuela are being examined particularly in the light of the likelihood of persons who would fail the UK test seeking to enter via Ireland. On the other side, full and immediate consideration will be given the issue of Taiwan and to whether a relaxation of the current regime is desirable based on the approach now being followed by our UK colleagues.

I understand that this process will be completed before the coming into force of the new UK arrangements. Section 17 of the Immigration Act 2004 sets out the purposes for which the Minister can make a visa order, inter alia, ensuring the integrity of the immigration system and for reciprocal immigration arrangements with other states.