Seán Power (Kildare South, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 268: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs his views on whether membership of the Schengen Agreement would bring enormous benefits to our country; if serious consideration will be given to signing this agreement; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18127/10]

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

As the lead responsibility for matters related to the Schengen Agreement falls to my colleague the Minister for Justice and Law Reform, I draw the Deputy's attention to the relevant sections of a reply to a written Parliamentary Question (17451/10), which the Minister for Justice and Law Reform provided on Thursday, 29 April 2010. The text of the relevant sections of his reply to Parliamentary Question 17451/10 is attached below, for ease of reference: "The Schengen Convention is an agreement among European States which provides for the abolition of systematic border controls between participating States and a common Schengen visa which allows tourist access to the area. The agreement also provides for the development of enhanced cooperation in relation to law enforcement matters and judicial cooperation.

Ireland has successfully applied to take part in certain elements of the Schengen agreement, including police cooperation, mutual assistance in criminal matters, extradition and drugs cooperation. These provisions will come into effect only after a range of technical and legislative measures have been put in place and successfully evaluated by the Council. Ireland has not, however, applied to participate in the Schengen arrangements to the extent that they deal with the abolition of border checks or common visa provisions. This decision has been taken to maintain the Common Travel Area (CTA) with the United Kingdom. As the Deputy will be aware, the UK elected not to participate in the borders aspects of Schengen.

The operation of the CTA facilitates nationals of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and Irish nationals moving around freely between the two States. The CTA 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.

Given the importance of maintaining the Common Travel Area, I cannot envisage a situation where Ireland would change its position unilaterally in relation to participation in the Schengen borders arrangements. The focus for the foreseeable future is in maximising the effectiveness of the Common Travel Area through mutual co-operation. Ireland and the UK maintain a close and ongoing working relationship in this regard and a number of matters are kept under review, including security, information exchange, visas and operational co-operation."