Former US Congressman Bruce Morrisson has called for a policy of permament immigration in Ireland.
Mr Morrison , who secured 48,000 ' Morrison Visas' for Irish illegals in the US in the early 1990s, was speaking at an event in Dublin organised by the Immigrant Council of Ireland (ICI).
Mr Morrison , who is now chairman of the Morrison Public Affairs Group,
described the state's immigration policy as “stopgap and piece-meal.“
Mr Morrison said: “The current focus is on temporary work permits rather than permanent immigration.
“Ireland needs to face up to the fact that it is a permanent country of immigration now and the numbers of people needed should be admitted on a permanent basis so they can join the Irish nation.
“When you bring in people temporarily and they are never told they are wanted on a permanent basis, they never fully integrate into society and you get separate communities and ethnic tensions.”
The ally of former US president Bill Clinton said the profile of immigrants should relate to the current and future needs of the Irish workforce.
“You should take enough workers based on where the skill needs are,” he said. “From the day of admission, you should say 'you are coming here and your are permanent and you're on the road to citizenship and the only way you'll have to leave is if you commit some substantial transgression.”'
The Morrison Visas were given away by lottery in 1992, 1993 and 1994 and most holders went on to become US citizens.
The ICI was publishing its reaction to the Government's Immigration and Residence Bill which it described as “vague and incomplete“. ICI chief executive Denise Charlton called on organisations, groups and individuals to make submissions on the proposals to the Justice, Equality & Law Reform Department before the end of July.
Ms Charlton said of the Bill: “There is too much emphasis on security and border controls and not enough focus on the rights and entitlements of immigrants.”
The Government document outlines proposals on many aspects of immigration including visas and pre-entry clearance; border controls; admission schemes for the purposes of work, study and family re-unification; residence permits; removals and the delivery of services.
However ICI legal officer Catherine Cosgrave said many proposals in the document are still vague and unclear. “It is crucial that we have a coherent, co-ordinated and navigable legal infrastructure and strategic approach for immigration in Ireland,” she said.
ICI chairperson Sr Stanislaus Kennedy urged the Government to adopt a rights-based approach to the legislation and set out entitlements in relation to entry, residency, work, welfare and social rights.
“The economic, social and cultural benefits of migration must be recognised and acknowledged, and immigration policy must not solely concern itself with state security and border controls.”