Clare Daly (Dublin North, Socialist Party)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

620. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the reason the immigration service would be required to obtain police reports from Britain and France before a person could start to work air-side at Dublin Airport as a result of them having previously worked in those countries; and his views on whether this is excessively expensive and cumbersome. [14778/14]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

Security is a vital element in ensuring public confidence in aviation. At Irish and other EU airports requirements are governed by EU legislation, specifically Council Regulation (EC) 300/2008 and Commission Regulation (EU) 185/2010. These regulations set out common basic standards in the field of civil aviation security and have been incorporated into Ireland's National Civil Aviation Security Programme (NCASP). All Irish airports are required to comply with the provisions of the NCASP and all relevant EU and international regulations.  

There is an explicit requirement under Commission Regulation (EU) 185/2010 that anyone requiring unescorted access to the security restricted area of an airport i.e. airside,  must have successfully completed a background check before an airport identification card (AIC) allowing such access can be  issued to them.  At Dublin Airport this process is managed by the Dublin Airport Authority. The Regulation requires that the background check must include a check of criminal records in all states of residence in the preceding five years and this is conducted by the Garda Vetting Office.