Brendan McGahon
Question:374 Mr. McGahon asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the measures in place along the Border to screen illegal immigrants entering the State from the Six Counties. [4753/02]
Written Answers. - Illegal Immigrants.
Brendan McGahon
Question:375 Mr. McGahon asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if his attention has been drawn to agencies in the Six Counties ferrying illegal immigrants across the county Louth border; and the measures in place to prevent illegal entry. [4754/02]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 374 and 375 together.
Ireland maintains a common travel area with the UK which is of enormous value and relevance to the island of Ireland and within which there is free movement for Irish and British citizens. Prior to 1997, it was the case that persons including persons who were not Irish or British citizens travelling from the United Kingdom did not encounter immigration controls upon arrival in the State. However the Aliens (Amendment) (No. 3) Order, 1997, altered that position and empowers immigration officers to carry out immigration checks on persons who are not Irish or British citizens arriving from the United Kingdom and to refuse such persons leave to land on the same grounds as apply if they arrive from outside the common travel area.
Immigration controls are applied selectively on persons to whom the 1997 order applies including those who arrive by land from Northern Ireland so as not to interfere with the freedom of movement between the two jurisdictions of Irish and British citizens. I hope the Deputy will appreciate that, for operational reasons, it is not possible for me to state precisely where and when such checks are carried out nor to specify the precise reasons for such checks in particular locations at particular times. I can say however that intelligence information plays a significant part in these matters and that the relevant operations are co-ordinated by the Garda national immigration bureau in consultation with local Garda divisional officers.
The development of a comprehensive intelligence base and closer co-operation with immigration authorities in other jurisdictions are obviously essential elements in combating the type of activity to which the Deputy refers and was one of the main reasons the Government approved the setting up of the Garda national immigration bureau. The bureau has established effective operational co-operation with immigration and police authorities in the UK and a Garda liaison officer has been assigned permanently to London for the purpose of interacting with relevant UK personnel on immigration and trafficking matters.
Since August 2001 over 300 persons, who had attempted to enter the State via the land border, have been refused leave to land as a result of intelligence driven operations. The Garda national immigration bureau has no specific information on agencies ferrying illegal immigrants across the Border in County Louth. There have however been three separate arrests of taxi drivers on suspicion of having committed offences contrary to the Illegal Immigrants (Trafficking) Act, 2000. Those investigations are ongoing.
From a legislative point of view, the Illegal Immigrants (Trafficking) Act, 2000, targets professional traffickers in human beings by creating an offence of trafficking in illegal immigrants and asylum seekers and providing a framework by which those engaging in such trafficking can be dealt with under the law. The penalty on conviction on indictment for the offence of trafficking under the Act is an unlimited fine or up to ten years imprisonment or both.