Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

It is important that we have Interpol's lost and stolen travel documents database and that it is working effectively. I am of the view that it will and should provide reassurance to people about data checking. I refer here to a variety of issues relating to alerts being on the system. It is good that we are part of the collaboration involved. The reason for some of the work I have been doing is to ensure that there is interoperability between different systems. The idea is to ensure that An Garda Síochána and our airport authorities have the most relevant and up-to-date data-checking systems that operate an international level. An Garda Síochána has further work to do, but the project is under way.

There is a particularly close operational relationship with the UK authorities in managing the security of the common travel area between Ireland and the UK. The gathering and sharing of relevant information is an important aspect of this co-operation. There are robust and constantly-evolving security information sharing arrangements in place between Ireland and the UK. For example, last year Ireland introduced new regulations to enable the UK to collect advanced passenger information from Irish carriers in respect of passengers entering the UK from Ireland. In the first half of this year, we will begin to process advance passenger information on flights.

It was rather difficult to get agreement on this issue in the European Parliament. Ministers with responsibility for justice issues fought to have advance passenger information shared between countries and I supported the proposal. We will have this arrangement in place on flights from outside the EU. Preparations are also under way to implement the EU directive on passenger name records, a plan I have just referenced. These systems will provide further protection for our borders against crime, terrorism and illegal immigration threats. The information technology resources of An Garda Síochána are an important aspect of this. Last year, we started the connection to the Schengen information system, which is another important data-sharing system. This work continues.

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