Kathleen Lynch (Cork North Central, Labour)
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Question 153: To ask the Minister for Transport if he received a request from the US authorities for clearance to start finger-printing US bound passengers at airports here under the terms of the Air Navigation and Transport (Preinspection) Act 1986; if such permission was granted; and if he will make a statement on the matter/ [26968/04]

Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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My Department and the US authorities have been in contact about this matter. My Department has also sought the advice of the Attorney General's office in regard to the additional procedures which are required by the US Government for entry by all visitors to the US since 30 September last and which are implemented by the US immigration authorities at the pre-clearance facilities at Dublin and Shannon Airports. The Attorney General's office has advised that, as part of the application process for entry into the US, the new finger-printing and photographing procedures at the pre-clearance facilities come within the scope of the Air Navigation and Transport (Preinspection) Act 1986.

The new procedures have been well publicised and, as part of the current US Government immigration requirements, all Irish travellers to the US must comply with them regardless of where the procedures are implemented, whether in Ireland or on arrival in the US. The often lengthy queues and inevitable delays on arrival in the US for immigration processing can be avoided by Irish travellers who have been pre-cleared at Dublin and Shannon Airports.