Tom Hayes (Tipperary South, Fine Gael)
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Question 25: To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment his views on the proposed EU blue card scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16738/08]

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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The proposed Blue Card Directive is one of five complementary instruments in the area of legal migration and aims to put in place arrangements that will attract high skilled workers to the EU. Whereas at present high skills workers come to individual member States, this scheme deals with the EU essentially as a single destination.

While initiatives such as this that are designed to enhance labour market mobility within the EU are to be commended, discussions on the proposed directive are still at an early stage. My Department and the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform are participating in relevant working groups in Brussels, in consultation with the Departments of Education and Science, Social and Family Affairs and Environment, Heritage and Local Government. A complete reading of the original proposal concluded recently, and a revised proposal is due to issue shortly which will reflect the views express by Member States during the working group discussions. Indications are that the proposal could be finalised by the end of this year and Government will, at that stage, make a decision on whether Ireland will adopt the Directive. In the meantime, officials of my Department will continue to take a full part in the ongoing negotiations at the working group.

Terence Flanagan (Dublin North East, Fine Gael)
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Question 26: To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if he will amend the green card system to encourage more highly skilled and highly qualified workers to enter the labour force here; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16734/08]

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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According to the European Commission, Ireland is one of only ten Member States who have specific schemes for admitting highly qualified workers into its labour market. Our principal initiative in this respect is the Green Card Scheme, which I introduced in January 2007. Green Cards are granted initially for a period of 2 years, and then may be renewed indefinitely. The benefit package includes immediate family reunification, the right of access to employment for spouses and normally a pathway to long-term residency after two years. The Green Card system gives effect to an economic migration policy the purpose of which is to attract and retain the highly skilled workers needed in developing a knowledge-based and innovation-driven economy.

In its first 13 months of operation (February 2007 to the end of March 2008), a total of 3,729 permits issued under the Scheme. By comparison, 2,713 permits issued in 2006 under the Work Visa/Work Authorisation Scheme, which the Green Card Scheme replaced. These figures indicate a positive take-up of the new scheme, which has enabled employers across key sectors of the Irish economy to successfully place in their enterprises highly skilled and professionally qualified employees sourced from outside of the EEA region.

The list of occupations eligible for a Green Card was identified after taking advice from the Expert Group on Future Skills Needs. The list includes professional and associate professional occupations where Ireland experiences skills shortages, such as in the Information and Communications Technology, Health Care, Construction, Engineering, Financial Services and Research sectors. My Department continues to work with FÁS and the Expert Group on Future Skills Needs to monitor skills needs in Ireland so as to ensure that the designation of those occupational categories for the purposes of the Green Card Scheme is consistent with changing labour market requirements.