Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 29 March 2022
377. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs further to Parliamentary Question No. 338 of 25 January 2022, if he has had recent discussions with the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland or with the British Foreign Secretary in relation to the UK Nationality and Borders Bill 2021 regarding the unacceptable provisions in that legislation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16332/22]
View answerAs the Deputy is aware, the Government has a number of concerns regarding the proposed Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) scheme set out in the UK’s draft Nationality and Borders Bill. As currently drafted, the Bill would provide that the UK’s immigration rules may require that non-Irish and non-British citizens obtain an ETA before travelling to the UK, including for journeys across the land border with Northern Ireland.
The movement of people on the island of Ireland, particularly in border areas, is unique, with tens of thousands of people crossing the border every day in the course of their daily lives, including to access essential services, for business, and for family reasons. It is a uniquely shared space. This is something which the Irish and British Governments recognised and committed to supporting in Strand 2 of the Good Friday (Belfast) Agreement.
The introduction of the proposed ETA scheme for cross-border journeys would cause considerable disruption to the lives and livelihoods of many people across the island who are not Irish or British citizens, particularly those residing in border areas. The scheme could have a significant impact on tourism in Northern Ireland, with many tourists first arriving here before travelling onward to Northern Ireland or including a destination in Northern Ireland as part of their itinerary. There are potential implications also for cross-border healthcare, education, and integrated supply chains.
It is regrettable that MPs in the House of Commons voted last week against an amendment from the House of Lords, which would have exempted cross-border journeys to Northern Ireland from the proposed ETA requirements.
Our Government has been engaging with the British Government at both official and political level to make clear our concerns with regard to the ETA scheme. Most recently, I met with the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland and the Minister of State for Northern Ireland at the British-Irish Intergovernmental Conference in Dublin. During our meeting, I expressed the Government’s serious concerns with regard to the draft Bill’s ETA provisions as they relate to Northern Ireland. I highlighted the complexities that the implementation of such a scheme would present in the context of cross-border travel on the island of Ireland, as well as the serious implications for daily lives and livelihoods on this island. Senior officials in my Department continue to engage with their British Government counterparts with respect to these concerns.
This legislation is not yet finalised and will continue to be debated in Westminster. For our part, we will continue to engage on the issue and emphasise our serious concerns, with a view to finding a satisfactory resolution which addresses them.
