Eoghan Murphy (Dublin South East, Fine Gael)
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Question 479: To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality if he supports the principle of establishing a specific technology visa scheme to help the indigenous sector and multinationals located here to attract the necessary talent to ensure that Ireland is established as the high tech capital of Europe. [31686/12]

Eoghan Murphy (Dublin South East, Fine Gael)
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Question 490: To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality his views on the possibility of establishing a visa scheme specific to persons working in the technology and related sectors, which will have specific criteria for admission in order that it will not be open to abuse but will allow Irish companies and foreign technology companies investing here to recruit the necessary skilled personnel from abroad. [31684/12]

Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 479 and 490 together.

While I am not averse in principle to the establishment of an immigration regime specifically geared to the technology sector, it would have to be on the basis that there was concrete evidence of a particular skills deficit in the labour market that cannot be filled by Irish or EU citizens. That labour market assessment would ultimately be a matter for my colleague the Minister for Jobs Enterprise and Innovation. In this regard it should be borne in mind that the technology sector spans a broad range of skills with differing levels of supply and demand.

I would also envisage that applicants for any such programmes would be subject to a rigorous assessment of their qualifications and experience to ensure that their skill sets are appropriate for the sector in question.

In any event, the existing visa application arrangements are entirely flexible and designed to cater for the widest possible range of applicants who may wish to come here as workers, visitors, professionals and so forth.