The State's new green-card system has got off to a slow start, with just 725 permits issued during its first four months in operation. Caroline Maddenreports.

The green-card scheme came into operation last February in a bid to attract highly-skilled workers from outside Europe to address shortages in certain sectors. Only five green cards were issued in the first month, although the number has risen in each subsequent month and reached 321 in May.

According to the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment, about 100 applications have been turned down due to applicants failing to meet the criteria, which include a minimum earning capacity.

Three other new types of employment permits were launched in February, including a revised work-permit scheme.

This has proved far more popular than the green card with non-EU migrant workers. A total of 1,224 people have been granted new work permits from February 1st to the end of May under this scheme, while a further 2,246 workers renewed their existing work permits.

A new intra-company transfer scheme had a very low take-up, with just 160 permits issued in the first four months. Only 211 new permits were issued under a fourth related scheme, which is aimed at spouses and dependants of work-permit holders.

A spokeswoman for the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Micheál Martin, said yesterday that awareness of the green-card scheme was increasing on a monthly basis. The Minister was happy with the way the scheme was going, and believed that the skills needed in Ireland were being provided through the scheme, she said.

Aileen O'Donoghue, director of Financial Services Ireland, said the number of green cards issued was particularly small in light of the total number of workers - both European and non-European - migrating to Ireland. She said she expected take-up to increase as people became more familiar with the system.