Jobs Minister has not given up on a plan to lure Irish emigrants back home

The Jobs Minister says she has not given up on a plan to lure Irish emigrants back home.

Last month a proposal by Mary Mitchell O'Connor's department to offer a 30% tax rate for returning emigrant graduates earning more than €60,000 caused widespread controversy.

The so-called emigrants’ tax was aimed at those in specialist jobs in areas such as medicine, science, IT and finance.

Taoiseach Enda Kenny was forced to dismiss the idea - admitting it was unfair and discriminatory.

But Minister Mitchell O'Connor says the plan still has some merit: "What I will say to you about that emigrant tax, we will look at it again, obvioulsly we will look at it in a different way, that is not going to happen.

"I have spoken with the Minister of Finance and our department will go back again, because we have to respond to what the business leaders and the entreprenuers are telling us what they need."