Fidelma Healy Eames (Fine Gael)

My Adjournment matter concerns the need for the Minister for Justice and Equality to review Ireland's position on the issuance of visas so as to best serve its economic needs so far as potential investors, talented or knowledgeable workers, students and tourists are concerned. The lion's share of our exports still go to the United Kingdom, the eurozone and the USA. As the Minister of State knows, these regions are experiencing economic difficulties and face years of austerity, economic stagnation and low growth. Overall, however, the world economy is still growing. The so-called BRIC countries - Brazil, Russia, India and China - continue to power ahead, while others are in decline. We in Ireland, therefore, need to diversify our trade to ensure the economy grows in order that we can create new jobs and instil new confidence.

Our success in the 1990s was based on American companies using Ireland as a platform to export to Europe. We can now replicate this with the BRIC countries, but we need to prioritise the attraction of foreign direct investment, especially from countries such as China, although I know we are doing our best in that regard. Such investment would lead to the creation of jobs. One only has to look at how well Ireland has worked as a European base for international businesses to see how we could be of benefit to Chinese companies. From my own experience of interacting with Chinese businessmen, I know they want Ireland to be their hand-holder in Europe. We have a highly educated young population and this is the only English-speaking country in the eurozone. This should be our calling card, as well as defining how we identify Ireland for the Chinese business audience, especially now that China has large amounts of money to invest. It has foreign reserves of in excess $2.85 trillion and wants to diversify into other currencies such as the euro, as it does not want to be totally dependent on the US dollar.

A recent trade conference demonstrated that Ireland was in a unique position. We could be the home of innovation clusters if we got our visa issuing system right. American multinationals are still wealthy and looking at the Chinese market, but they do not trust the Chinese with their intellectual property. Ireland has a very good relationship with the United States and is building an interesting relationship with China. Therefore, this country could be the base on which innovation clusters are formed. The United States will trust us with the right team and we could be its access point into the Chinese market, particularly the public procurement sector. There is still a hierarchical government in China which, for example, controls the purchasing and usage of drugs. Nonetheless, there is a great opportunity, but we need the right visa system in place to attract the right workers with knowledge. One may say we have those workers already but only to a certain extent. For example, US universities are turning out 20,000 PhD students a year, half of whom are Chinese who cannot work in the United States. There is no reason we could not have alliances if we had the right visa system in place.

All EU countries, with the exception of Ireland and the United Kingdom, are signatories to the Schengen agreement. The Schengen visa makes it possible for someone to visit all of the countries in the Schengen area and cross internal borders without further formalities. Ireland has a more conservative policy in issuing visas than the United Kingdom. UK visas are more targeted, particularly in attracting investors and exceptionally talented workers. UK visas will be accepted in Ireland as part of the Olympic Games measure, provided visitors travel through the United Kingdom first. This is restrictive and we are learning that we must open up the system a little more. I suggest the following changes. First, the current visa position should be reviewed to see how Ireland's economic needs can best be served. Alternative visa arrangements should be examined such as an online pre-flight visa scheme with adequate safeguards and strict enforcement on arrival. Second, the issuance of a visa on arrival, subject to proof of adequate funds and other safeguards, should be considered.

I would like to hear what the Minister of State has to say in reply.