Following inquiries made on my instructions by the embassy in London, the British authorities have confirmed that with effect from April this year steps have been taken to implement a provision of Schedule 5 of the British Prevention of Terrorism Act, 1989, which relates to port and border control. Under this provision the captain of a ship or aircraft carrying passengers from Ireland to Britain can be required to furnish to an examining officer, upon arrival in Britain, the names and dates and places of birth of passengers and crew. Passengers are also required to provide these details to the captain of the ship or aircraft on which they are travelling. This provision applies only to travel within the common travel area and, accordingly, affects principally persons travelling between Britain and Ireland.
I understand that the ferry company to which the Deputy has referred has introduced this practice at the request of the British authorities in Liverpool, following the decision to implement this provision of the PTA. The British authorities have also approached the other major ferry companies operating on the Irish Sea. The intention is to implement the provision in relation to all ports in the common travel area, although the new practice may be in place in some ports ahead of others, depending on the action of the local port authorities. The British authorities have also advised that the practice is being applied to all truck drivers and not only to Irish citizens. Discussions on the implementation of the relevant provision of the PTA are, I understand, ongoing between the relevant British authorities and the ferry companies.
The British authorities have stated that the reason for this new initiative is to cover a gap in the measures so far adopted to give effect to the PTA and to regularise practices at British ports under Schedule 5 of that Act.
I can assure the Deputy that the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform have confirmed that the practice being adopted by the ferry company in question is not based on any provision in Irish legislation.
The Government has repeatedly expressed its concern to the British authorities regarding the operation of the PTA and in particular its impact on passengers travelling to and from Ireland. I am concerned at the decision of the British authorities to take a new initiative to implement a provision of the PTA from April of this year, not least in the context of the Good Friday Agreement and of the review being undertaken of legislation against terrorism in the United Kingdom. I have instructed the embassy in London to express this concern and to monitor any further implementation of the relevant PTA provision closely.
