A "tougher regime" on work permits has been introduced to provide more jobs for Irish people and tackle "abuse" of immigrant workers, according to the Minister of State for Labour Affairs.
Mr Frank Fahey said some employers did not want to take on Irish people because they were "getting cheaper labour from outside the country".
More rigorous checks were now in place to "ensure we're not taking away the jobs of Irish people", he told The Irish Times.
There was "no question", he said, but that some of the jobs given to 37,500 people from outside the European Economic Area (EEA) to date this year could have been filled by Irish workers.
The EEA comprises the 15 EU member-states plus Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein.
As part of a tougher regime, FÁS, the State training and employment agency, was being asked to vet each application for a permit from an immigrant worker.
Mr Fahey, who stressed that policy on work permits was a matter for the Tánaiste, Ms Harney, said it was important that Irish people received the training and opportunities to take up "as many jobs as possible".
There was evidence, he said, of "a certain amount of abuse" of non-EU workers who did not have proper terms and conditions and, in some cases, were not receiving the minimum wage.
Such abuses had been uncovered by inspectors of the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment, he said. "It's something we're anxious to stamp out."
A review of the work permits system is under way and legislation to put it on a statutory footing will be introduced next year.
FÁS has proposed that the current scheme be replaced by a points system in which visas would be issued to immigrants who could provide skills in identified areas of need.
This is being considered as part of the current review, but it is understood a points system, if introduced, will not apply to unskilled workers, who would continue to require permits for specific jobs.
Another idea being floated is that visas could be restricted in geographical areas where unemployment is relatively high.
One change sure to be included in the legislation is that it will be an offence for employers to take on workers from outside the EEA who do not have work permits.
At present, it is an offence for the employee only. Ms Harney has made it clear that such a change will be introduced as part of the new law.
The number of work permits issued to non-EEA citizens rose from 6,000 in 1999 to 36,500 last year. A further small increase will be recorded this year, despite the economic slow down.
In its recent Irish Labour Market Overview, FÁS said that in the context of rising unemployment, the number or work permits being issued was "too high".
