Irish immigration policy 'a disincentive for highly skilled people'

Policies on family reunification in Ireland have 'long been very problematic', according to Immigrant Council of Ireland CEO Brian Killoran. Picture: Gareth Chaney Collins

Ireland’s immigration policy when it comes to family members is a disincentive to researchers interested in studying here, leading us to lose out on highly skilled people, according to Irish Immigrant Council chief executive Brian Killoran.

He was speaking after the Irish Examiner  reported on the case of Ola Abagun, who was forced to withdraw from her fully-funded PhD studies here after she was asked to show €107,000 in funds to secure family visas or face leaving her young daughter and husband in Nigeria for four years.