Tánaiste Mary Harney has said that proposals on an immigration policy, which she will bring to cabinet soon, will stress the need to attract highly skilled people to Ireland. Ireland needs to import 200,000 people in the next 6 to 7 years to fulfil the needs of the national plan. The Tánaiste was speaking at an event organised by IBEC and IBM urging businesses to play a greater role in education.
Also speaking at the event, internationally known business leader and author Rosabeth Moss Kanter said brain power and in particular young brain power is the way of the future. She said the way to get at it is for business to bring their technology into the schools and let young people work on it. Some top American companies are employing teenagers so they can keep on top of what is new.
Ms Harney said that Ireland is going to need 200,000 more highly skilled people in the next 6 to 7 years. She estimated that half of these will be Irish people returning home. The other half will be immigrants. She said Ireland will have to invite people in from countries in Eastern Europe, the US and New Zealand. And added that any immigration policy should take account of the country's skills needs. She said that she will be bringing proposals to cabinet in the next two weeks.
