asked the Minister for External Affairs if he will investigate the possibility of the Government's taking steps to prevent children under 16 years of age emigrating to Britain without having any person in Britain willing to guarantee their welfare.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Emigration of Children to Britain.
15.
The suggestion that some form of official control be imposed in the case of young persons travelling to Britain involves practical difficulties which have been mentioned here on a number of occasions. I would refer the Deputy to the replies given to questions by Deputies Russell, Sherwin and Hogan on 28th January, 1959, 23rd November, 1961, and 19th June, 1962, respectively. I also dealt with the subject during the course of the debates on the Estimates for my Department on 11th July, 1961, and 5th April, 1962.
The fact is that the imposition of a restriction of the type suggested would entail the introduction of a passport system. Apart from the cost and inconvenience to all going to or coming from the Six Counties and Britain, such a system of control would be difficult, if not indeed impossible, to administer effectively.