Pearse Doherty (Donegal, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Our party leader, Mary Lou McDonald, raised this issue with the Taoiseach last week. It is something I have been raising here since last year, because this has been an issue of real concern. Given that the House of Commons has overturned the amendment to the legislation made by the House of Lords, the situation now is that a Polish person living in Lifford and having to travel across the bridge to Strabane will need a visa, an ETA, which will cost money. It will state clearly on it how long it will last for and how many trips the holder will be allowed to undertake on that visa. This is a ridiculous situation because of the number of non-Irish and non-British people who live in our country and reside beside the Border. Many of them travel across the Border to work or to bring their kids to school. This development really damages the common travel area. Additionally, a further provision in the Bill imposes a penalty of £2,000 on people who travel to London on aircraft without appropriate identification.

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