Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Regulation (EC) No. 810/2009 establishing a community code on visas, known as the Visa Code, regulates the EU common visa policy. I am not aware of any formal legislative proposals for reform from the European Commission Directorate-General for Home Affairs, which has responsibility for policy in this area. The Deputy may be referring to an article published by the Directorate-General for Enterprise and Industry recently which put forward some proposals in regard to visas and tourism. In any event, the relevant regulation falls within the scope of Title V (Area of Freedom, Justice and Security) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union and, therefore, Ireland was not automatically bound by the provisions of the regulation. Ireland has not to date exercised its option to participate in the regulation and does not, consequently, participate in the current common visa policy which is the subject of the Deputy's question.

It is long established Government policy that Ireland will only participate in immigration-related measures falling under Title V to the extent that is compatible with the common travel area, CTA, shared by ourselves and the United Kingdom. Participation in the common visa policy would mean that Ireland would, in turn, be required to participate in the Schengen Agreement on border controls. The fact is that the CTA could not continue to operate if Ireland were to participate in the Schengen Agreement while the United Kingdom did not.

This is particularly relevant given the Government's focus on maximising to the greatest possible extent the potential of the CTA. This is evidenced by the Irish short-stay visa waiver programme for holders of certain categories of UK visa, which this Government introduced in July 2011. In the 18 months following the introduction of the programme, visits from the countries covered by it increased by approximately 38%. Building on this measure, work is ongoing on the development of short-stay CTA visa arrangements which would allow tourists and business visitors to travel to the CTA, with first arrival in either jurisdiction, and thereafter to travel freely both within the island of Ireland and between Ireland and the UK. In other words, the outer perimeter of the CTA would operate like a mini-Schengen zone. This would represent a historic breakthrough in the manner in which the CTA operates. It is planned for the roll-out of such arrangements to take place in 2014. Prior to their introduction, the necessary technical and operational arrangements, including the capture of biometrics for visa applicants, need to be put in place between the two jurisdictions.

All of this having been said, my Department keeps under review Ireland's position as regards all measures adopted under Title V of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union in line with Government priorities and policies as necessary and participates in discussions on the common visa policy at the visa working party of the Council.

See this speech in context