Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 3 November 2004
92 Mr. Crowe asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if he will report on the recent decision of the EU Justice Ministers regarding the introduction of biometric identifiers on EU passports; and his views on the introduction of fingerprints and iris scans. [27160/04]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe European Council of 25 March 2004 instructed that an EU regulation on security features in passports and travel documents should be adopted before the end of 2004 and this was completed by the Justice and Home Affairs Council on 25-26 October, with a period of 18 months being provided for practical implementation.
On 8 June 2004, Council agreed that facial image should be the first mandatory biometric identifier and at the meeting on 26 October agreement was reached on the implementation of the first biometric within 18 months and agreement, in principle, on the implementation of a secondary mandatory biometric, fingerprint, within 36 months. The introduction of iris scans, as referred to by the Deputy, was not raised at this meeting of Council.
Biometric features in passports and other travel documents will be used for verifying the authenticity of the document and the identity of the holder by means of directly available comparable features when the passport or other travel document is required to be produced by law. It is an important contribution to ensuring that passports and other travel documents are protected against fraudulent use.
As this regulation builds on an aspect of Schengen co-operation in which Ireland does not participate, Ireland is not bound by it. However, the Government believes that the incorporation of biometrics in passports, in accordance with the standards proposed by the International Civil Aviation Organisation, can make an effective contribution to increasing security of international travel. The Government, therefore, welcomes this development, even though Ireland is not bound by the regulation.
It is important to note also that the United States enacted legislation after the terrorist attacks of 11 September 2001 that requires all visa waiver countries, including Ireland, to introduce passports containing biometric information by 26 October 2004, subsequently postponed to 26 October 2005, as a condition of remaining in the visa waiver programme. The Government agreed, in principle, to the introduction of passports containing biometric information subject to a further Government decision at a later stage on the practical arrangements for its implementation. My colleague, the Minister for Foreign Affairs, is currently examining these issues and it is expected that a proposal will be submitted to Government in the near future.
