Press Release 25/01/12
The Minister for Justice Alan Shatter has announced two new schemes to encourage immigrant investment in Ireland and boost the economy.
The schemes which have been introduced are the Start-up Entrepreneur Programme and the Immigrant Investor Programme.
Mr Forde, CEO of The Integration Centre said ‘Whilst the Immigrant Investor Programme is a new scheme the Start-up Entrepreneur Programme replaces the Business Permission scheme. The old scheme served as a means in which to prevent investment in Ireland rather than encourage it.’
‘In the Roadmap to Integration we produced last October we pointed out the shortcomings of the scheme and advocated to the minister the benefits of changing it. It was not only a blockage to integration but did not make economic sense for Ireland.’
Mr Forde continued, ‘These initiatives signal an important change in attitude at government level. The myth of immigrants being a drain on society is exactly that and it is time to ensure that Ireland benefits fully from all immigrants can offer.’
‘The economist Jim Power is just finishing a piece of research for The Integration Centre which argues the business case for integration; this is to be launched in March. Societies cannot be successful and do not reach their full potential when people are pushed to the fringes.’
‘We welcome this change in direction and hope to see similar progress in other facets of policy relating to integration.’