The State has a duty to protect its borders and to ensure that all arriving passengers are entitled to enter the State. This is a fundamental exercise of State sovereignty, which is necessary to protect the security of the State and to prevent illegal immigration. The exercise of powers in this area is at all times subject to the law and to respect for individual rights.
The Border Management Unit (BMU) of my Department has responsibility for frontline immigration duties at Dublin Airport only. Other ports of entry are the responsibility of the Garda National Immigration Bureau (GNIB).
Under Section 11 of the Immigration Act 2004, any person entering the State at Dublin Airport or at any other port of entry, must be in possession of a valid passport or other equivalent document, issued by or on behalf of an authority recognised by the Government, which establishes his or her identity and nationality to the satisfaction of an Immigration Officer.
If a person cannot produce a valid passport, or other equivalent document, then the Immigration Officer will arrange for the person to be referred to the Garda National Immigration Bureau (GNIB).
The table below sets out the number of people who presented to the BMU at immigration control at Dublin Airport without a valid passport, or other equivalent documentation, or who presented a false document, and claimed international protection. Anyone who subsequently claimed international protection after being referred to GNIB will not be recorded by the BMU.
|
Oct-21
|
Nov-21
|
Dec-21
|
Jan-22
|
Feb-22
|
Mar-22
|
Apr-22
|
May-22
|
Jun-22
|
Jul-22
|
|
22
|
263
|
302
|
193
|
187
|
305
|
375
|
438
|
500
|
505
|
The BMU introduced the statistical system to capture this information in October 2021, therefore, data is only available from that time.
