Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 20 February 2024
437. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Justice if she or her Department are concerned about the number of IPAS applicants arriving to Dublin via Belfast; what actions she is taking on same; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8067/24]
View answerThe State is required to examine the application of anyone who presents at the borders of the State, or is in the State, and indicates that they wish to make an application for international protection. This is in accordance with our obligations under international and EU asylum law.
As the Deputy is aware, there are no physical border controls on the land border between Ireland and Northern Ireland. It is the case that maintaining an open border was a key priority for the Government during Brexit negotiations. Alongside the many thousands of people who benefit from that freedom of movement on a daily basis it has always been the case that a minority have done so for irregular purposes, in both directions.
There is ongoing cooperation with the UK on both immigration and law enforcement matters. The Common Travel Area Forum (CTAF), established in 2011, 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 is also very good co-operation at operational level between the Irish Border Management Unit (BMU), Garda National immigration Bureau (GNIB) and colleagues in the UK Border Force and Immigration Enforcement. 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.
For security reasons and to protect the integrity of the immigration system, the Department does not comment on the specifics of these operations.
