Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 2 May 2024
195. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Justice if she intends to engage with the British prime minister to address concerns about the impact of the Rwanda plan on the security and immigration system in Ireland; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19983/24]
Amharc ar fhreagra206. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Justice to provide details on the engagements between the border management unit of her Department and the equivalent border management and enforcement units of the United Kingdom with respect to the impact of the so-called Rwanda plan and the growing trend of international protection applicants arriving from the UK to the north of Ireland and subsequently to the Republic to claim international protection here; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19968/24]
Amharc ar fhreagra207. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Justice if she or officials from her Department have engaged with their UK counterparts to address concerns about the impact of the British government's Rwanda plan on the flow of migrants into the Republic of Ireland; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19982/24]
Amharc ar fhreagra214. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Justice what additional measures will be introduced to deal with persons, domiciled in Britian, illegally entering this State through transiting Northern Ireland; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20052/24]
Amharc ar fhreagra216. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Justice what direct contact she has had with her counterparts in Britain and in Northern Ireland in relation to illegal migration from Britain through Northern Ireland into this State, which she referenced recently at the Oireachtas Justice Committee; the outcome of such discussions, if any; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20080/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 195, 206, 207, 214 and 216 together.
I propose to take PQs 195 , 206 , 207 , 214 and 216 together.
Ireland and the United Kingdom share a long history and common interest in the effective operation of the Common Travel Area (CTA), and work together to prevent any abuses of the CTA. There is extensive engagement and cooperation at all levels between my Department’s officials and their Home Office counterparts, as well as significant operational cooperation between the Gardaí, UK policing services and the PSNI. This strong practical engagement and cooperation serves the mutual interests of both Ireland and the United Kingdom, and will continue.
As the Deputies will be aware, I had planned to meet with the UK Home Secretary earlier this week to discuss a range of issues of common interest across our respective briefs. This meeting was postponed due to unavoidable diary commitments and will be rescheduled.
Insofar as the specifics of engagement are concerned, the Common Travel Area Forum (CTAF) acts as a steering committee for the ongoing work of protecting the CTA in relation to free movement of its citizens between both countries while at the same time ensuring that the CTA is not abused by those not entitled to avail of it. The Forum meets twice yearly but also meets in sub-group format to address particular elements of Ireland/UK co-operation, bringing together relevant subject matter expertise in various areas.
There has been an arrangement on returns in place between Ireland and the United Kingdom since Brexit. It was agreed in November 2020. It provides for reciprocal returns and helps to protect against abuse of the Common Travel Area, building on long standing CTA cooperation.
It is important that we resolve abuses together and block any opportunity available to those that try to take advantage for criminal purposes. Such issues of cooperation between An Garda Síochána, my own Department and our UK colleagues highlight the existing strong ties between North & South and East & West. This includes a number of ongoing operations, in co-operation with the UK, tackling abuses of the CTA by identifying illegal secondary movement patterns within the CTA and taking effective actions to disrupt abuse of those routes.
