The Government is to increase the number of job permits available in the IT sector by 50% in an attempt to boost the industry here. 700 additional employment permits will be issued over the coming year.
The measures were announced by the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation and the Minister for Education and Skills this morning.
They include a one third reduction in the processing time for employment permits and improvements in the appeals process.
Richard Bruton said the ICT sector formed a key part of the Government's plan for jobs and growth.
He said since the Government had come to power there had been an increase of over 11,000 in the number of people at work in the sector.
The Minister said the Government was determined to sustain this growth. He said international research showed that for every one job provided in the sector, an additional four to five jobs were created elsewhere.
The Government said industry-led programmes already underway will provide an additional 1,300 graduates to the industry over the same period.
ICT Ireland and the Irish Software Association, the IBEC groups that represent the technology sector, today said the measures send a powerful signal to the international business and investment community that Ireland is serious about growth and success.
''Today’s announcement will allow technology companies to respond quickly to markets, from their Irish base. The technology sector globally will continue to grow and create new jobs. The work permit reforms, coupled with the additional 1,300 tech graduates from current conversion programmes, will ensure that Ireland is well-placed to make the most of future growth in the sector,'' commented ICT Ireland and Irish Software Association Director Paul Sweetman.
