Written answers

Tuesday, 15 February 2022

Department of Justice and Equality

Common Travel Area

Photo of Carol NolanCarol Nolan (Laois-Offaly, Independent)
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561. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the reasons all Irish and UK citizens arriving at Dublin Airport from the UK are routinely subjected to passport checks by customs and immigration officials in spite of the existence of a common travel area between Ireland and the United Kingdom; the legal basis for these checks; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7499/22]

Photo of Helen McEnteeHelen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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Under Section 11 of the Immigration Act 2004, any person entering the State at Dublin Airport or at any other port of entry to the State, must be in possession of a valid passport or other equivalent document, issued by or on behalf of an authority recognised by the Government, which establishes his or her identity and nationality to the satisfaction of an immigration officer.

This requirement also applies to any non-Irish or non-UK national coming from the United Kingdom (Great Britain and Northern Ireland) i.e. the Common Travel Area (CTA). There is no requirement for Irish or UK citizens to produce passports when travelling within the CTA. However, airline carriers may require their passengers to have a passport in their possession before allowing them to board the aircraft. This is not an immigration requirement.

There is no segregation of arriving passengers at Dublin Airport. Therefore, it is not possible to distinguish CTA passengers in advance of them presenting at immigration control desks. Immigration officers must establish where passengers have arrived from, and to do this, an immigration officer may ask passengers questions to establish their nationality and port of embarkation. Where a person, who is a citizen of the CTA, and who has travelled from within the CTA, is not in possession of a passport, an immigration officer is duty-bound to ask questions to establish that the person is entitled to benefit from the CTA immigration arrangements. The production of other forms of identification can be used to assist an immigration officer with these enquiries.

Once satisfied that a person is a citizen of the CTA and that they have travelled from the United Kingdom, the immigration officer will make no further requirement of that person.

Customs checks are a matter for the Revenue Commissioners.

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