Mick Barry (Cork North Central, Solidarity)
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346. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he has raised with his UK counterpart the need to amend common travel area arrangements to ensure that persons who are resident in Ireland or the UK but who are not citizens of those states will be able to avail of freedom of travel rights; if the Irish State will consider allowing freedom of travel for these persons from the UK; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53224/22]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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The Common Travel Area is a long-standing arrangement involving Ireland, the United Kingdom, the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man that facilitates the ability of British and Irish citizens to move freely between these jurisdictions. It provides for associated reciprocal rights and privileges that have been enjoyed by Irish citizens in the UK and British citizens in Ireland for decades.

Greater clarity was brought to these longstanding CTA arrangements in May 2019 when the UK and Ireland signed a high level Memorandum of Understanding concerning the Common Travel Area and associated reciprocal rights and privileges. Section 6 of the MOU states that “The CTA allows Irish and British citizens to move freely between Ireland and the UK.” Neither the Minister for Justice or I have raised with our UK counterparts the need to amend these specific arrangements.

With regard to freedom of travel rights for residents of the UK, these are afforded to UK citizens under the terms of the CTA. In addition, all EU citizens, including those who are resident in the UK, are entitled to unrestricted free movement into Ireland provided they can establish their nationality and identity. Under Section 4 of the Immigration Act 2004, an Immigration Officer must determine whether a non-EEA national should be granted leave to land and thus gain entry to the State. Non-EU citizens, including those who are resident in the UK, are subject to the relevant Irish immigration rules. This general framework is set to continue.

Outside the scope of the freedom of movement provisions in the CTA, Ireland and the UK engage bilaterally on the rights of non-Irish and non-British residents of Ireland and the UK in several contexts. We have previously agreed rules on healthcare coverage for Irish residents in the UK and British residents in Ireland. We are also currently engaging extensively with the UK on the potential impact of the UK’s Electronic Travel Authorisation scheme proposals on travel by non-Irish and non-British people from Ireland to the UK.