The chairman of the Irish Small and Medium Enterprises Association (ISME) has predicted more than 20,000 migrant workers will be needed each year in Ireland to fill job vacancies.
Speaking at the organisation's annual conference in Co Meath today, Mr Robert Berney outlined the increasing importance of migrant labour in enabling the economy to achieve and support maximum growth.
"The construction, catering and food processing sectors together with the hospitality sector are almost completely reliant on immigrant labour in order to stay in business" he said.
"At present growth rates and taking demographics into account the country would need in excess of 20,000 immigrant workers per annum over the next number of years in order to fill the vacancies that will arise," he continued.
"What is required is a move away from an ad-hoc reactionary approach to migration and towards a planned and managed migration strategy that will ensure that migrant workers and their families can become easily integrated into Irish society and provided with the support structures including housing, long term settlement and education and full citizenship rights among other factors," he said.
Mr Berney said ISME believed the challenge for Ireland was to develop an approach to immigration that would ensure the country is as successful in attracting skilled labour as it has been in attracting foreign direct investment.
"The message must go out from the Government and the business community that immigrants are truly welcome and will be afforded the same rights and opportunities that exist for Irish people," he concluded.
The Minister for Health, Ms Mary Harney, is to give the closing address at the conference this evening.