Brian Lenihan Jnr (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)

I am surprised by the position taken by a number of Senators on this measure. The debate on this subsection became a more general discussion on the nature of this measure.

Focusing on the amendment moved by Senator O'Meara, Ireland's position is that we welcome those who have properly documented themselves upon arrival. There is nothing unusual in that. In fact, states such as the United States, Australia and New Zealand have similar legislation to this. We are now the last state in the European Union to provide for this type of legislation.

There is nothing usual in the jurisprudence of other states in providing for this provision that carriers do document checks on persons boarding flights. There is nothing unusual at all in what is proposed in this legislation, yet it seems to have given rise to wide speculations about what should be appropriate in terms of our immigration policy.

On the amendment moved, we cannot see any basis on which to import into the section the type of obligations suggested by Senator O'Meara. That, in fact, would transform the simple elementary checks that every state requires carriers to conduct nowadays into full inquiries, which it would not be fair to impose on carriers. On that ground alone, I would oppose the amendment and I would suggest that Senators should not accept it.