Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 22 May 2024
119. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Justice the number of operations conducted under Operation Sonnet from 2023 to date; the number people sent back across the Border; the number of personnel working in the GNIB that have been involved in these operations; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23126/24]
View answerThe Border Management Unit (BMU) of my Department has responsibility for front-line immigration duties at Dublin Airport only. Other airports and other ports of entry, including the land border with Northern Ireland, are the responsibility of the Garda National Immigration Bureau (GNIB).
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 Border Force, UK policing services and the Police Service of Northern Ireland. This strong practical engagement and cooperation serves the mutual interests of both Ireland and the United Kingdom, and will continue.
Maintaining the integrity of the immigration system, involves robust controls to prevent illegal entry. In 2021 our legislation was strengthened to combat people smuggling both into Ireland and into other countries (including EU Member States and parties to the UN Protocol against people smuggling). The Criminal Justice (Smuggling of Persons) Act 2021 widened the range of scenarios covered by our laws, including intentionally assisting entry, transit or presence where the person knows or has reasonable cause to believe that it is in breach of specified immigration law provisions. An Garda Síochána is responsible for assessing and investigating any possible breaches of these or other laws.
The objective of Operation Sonnet is to tackle abuse of the CTA, with a focus on the movement of people between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. During the overt element of Operation Sonnet, GNIB Officers operate checkpoints and vehicle stops in order to conduct immigration checks on passengers travelling by means of both public and private transport from Northern Ireland to the Republic of Ireland.
I am advised by the Garda Commissioner, that the Gardaí conducted 11 Days of Action. A further ten Days of Action have taken place this year, up to 20 May.
These Days of Action incorporated large scale checkpoints resulting in the inspection of 172 vehicles and the detection of a total of 107 people entering the State without the requisite visas or identity documents.
During these operations, people entering Ireland illegally were refused leave to land and returned to the UK by ferry from Dublin Port to Holyhead. Where it was confirmed that they were resident in Northern Ireland, they were returned to Belfast.
I am informed that, in addition to these overt operations, there are also regular covert Operation Sonnet deployments, which provide the intelligence to ensure the ongoing effectiveness of the Operation. For security reasons and to protect the integrity of the immigration system, both I and my Department do not comment on operational procedures of this element.
Additionally, my Department and An Garda Síochána continue to engage intensively on the transfer of certain immigration functions to my Department. In April the registration of immigration residence permissions for counties Meath, Kildare and Wicklow, transferred from An Garda Síochána to my Department, which is already responsible for Dublin. It is intended that my Department will assume responsibility for registrations nationwide, the transfer is expected to be substantially completed within the next 12 months. This will free up to 100 Gardaí to focus on other core policing duties, which will include deportations and other aspects of immigration enforcement.
Finally, 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.
