Lack of clarity on immigration issues had led to confusion for employers and given rise to racism and xenophobia in society, the Small Firms' Association (SFA) claimed yesterday.
The SFA's assistant director, Ms Patricia Callan, called on the Government to give urgent priority to the implementation of the Employment Permits Bill.
"As a nation, we must realise that non-EU nationals are an addition to our workforce and are not displacing Irish workers. They have a legitimate expectation of joining Irish society in all its guises," she said.
What was now required, as a matter of urgency, was primary legislation that would set out rights and obligations on all sides, and which would encompass a more realistic approach to the issue of net migration, Ms Callan stated.
In 1999, 6,200 work permit applications were made, with this number increasing to 18,000 in 2000 and doubling to 36,500 in 2001.
In the first half of this year, almost 20,000 applications had been made.
"Despite recent job loss announcements, the situation has not eased in many specific sectors, and in particular for small employers who are struggling to recruit staff," she said.
Current delays in the system of processing work permits was encouraging the recruitment of non-EEA nationals without going through the formal process.
"Despite the fact that the Government's extensive public consultation process on immigration policy concluded this time last year, nothing has been done to implement its findings," she stated.
The Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Ms Harney, announced in April that the Government had approved the heads of the new Bill to put Ireland's work permit regime on a modern footing.
At the time, the Tánaiste said all non-EEA nationals coming to work in Ireland with the benefit of a work permit enjoyed the same rights and protection under Irish labour law as did Irish citizens. However, the employment of persons who did not have a permit to work in the State, she said, put the employees in question in danger of exploitation.