Gerry Horkan (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

It is a new system but, as the Chairman said, airlines are very used to checking boarding passes and passports. Many people have been caught, particularly by one airline that is very well known to most people, for not having passports. A passport is not a requirement for travel to the UK but the airline requires one. That is part of its terms and conditions. Airlines are very used to checking passports and making sure they are not out of date. They also make sure to check other stuff. In general, only 10% of passengers are being checked. The Department has acknowledged that more than 10% are being checked on some flights but, equally, less than 10% are being checked on others, particularly on Sunday nights. People have spent quite a bit of money. I know somebody who was in Tenerife last week who spent a lot of time and who was very anxious about complying with these new systems that they did not know anything about when they flew out. After having spent two days being anxious, finding a test provider and spending money to get one - I think they were €70 each - they discovered the test was not checked when they flew back on Saturday morning. I know that was a matter of timing and that they could have been checked on the Saturday if the deadline had not been moved. Most people are going to be very compliant but the people who are being very compliant want to know that those who are not being compliant are not going to get through the system. That gives people less confidence and makes them ask why they are shelling out money and spending time on this when nobody is checking. That is the frustration.