Michael McGrath (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The Government stands foursquare behind the common travel area and the open Border in all respects. We do not in any way support or endorse the decision that was taken in the House of Commons. We have serious concerns about the proposal for an electronic travel authorisation system. We do not believe it is either practical or fair to seek to distinguish between EU citizens from other member states and Irish citizens going across the Border. There is a meeting of the British-Irish Intergovernmental Conference later today and the issue will again be raised directly with the British Government. I assure the Deputy that we will be taking this up with the British Government at the highest level because we do not support this and we do not believe it is acceptable.

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