Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)
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Question 147: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if he has assessed the case for Ireland moving to fully participate in the Schengen Agreement in view of the fact that Britain is moving towards introducing passport control between Ireland and Britain; his views on the contention that membership of Schengen would be less expensive, give a positive message regarding Ireland's commitment to the EU and allow a common travel area with Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6723/09]

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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The Schengen Convention provides for the abolition of border checks on common borders between participating States and for the development of enhanced cooperation in relation to law enforcement matters and judicial cooperation. Ireland has successfully applied to participate in certain provisions of the Schengen Convention including those associated with police cooperation, mutual assistance in criminal matters and the Schengen Information System.

The necessary measures which will enable Ireland to meet its Schengen requirements are currently being put in place. Ireland has not, however, applied to participate in the Schengen arrangements to the extent that they deal with the abolition of border checks. This decision has been taken to maintain the common travel area (CTA) with the United Kingdom which remains a priority for Ireland. The common travel area could not continue to operate if Ireland were to remove border checks with Schengen States generally while the United Kingdom did not do so. To do so would result in a situation where the land border with Northern Ireland would become the border between the Schengen area and the United Kingdom.

The United Kingdom has proposed, in the context of the development of its E-borders system, a number of changes in respect of travel on routes between Ireland and the United Kingdom, including:

the introduction of full immigration controls for non-CTA nationals on all sea and air routes by 2014.

new measures to verify the identities of CTA nationals.

monitoring of all air and sea travel between the United Kingdom and Ireland by 2010 using e-Borders watchlists.

The Government has approved the development of an Irish Border Information System, which will operate on a broadly similar basis to the United Kingdom e-borders system. However, Phase 1 of the development only encompasses travel between Ireland the destinations outside the CTA. My officials are in contact with their counterparts in the United Kingdom on these issues as the matter progresses.