Pearse Doherty (Donegal, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I acknowledge that the Minister has spoken with the Secretary of State but we need this raised at the highest level. We need the Taoiseach to lift the phone to British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, as we requested last week. We need to use our diplomatic muscle internationally on this. I also have concerns that section 81 of the Bill breaches the common travel area provision because it would require us to have a form of identification when we fly to London or elsewhere in the UK. That is not required on Aer Lingus flights at this point, and there will be a penalty imposed on carriers if that is not done.

We are in a position now where this legislation will come into effect in 2024. If a road traffic collision occurs in Letterkenny then, an ambulance would not be able to take a Polish individual directly to Dublin to deal with a head injury, for example. That ambulance would have to go via Sligo. The legislation is not just about crossing the Border into the North and visiting the North but passing through as well.

We need to raise this at the highest levels, which is the level of the Taoiseach. That should be along with the Minister's efforts. We must also look at what international support we have on the matter.

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