Tighter border controls?

A Home Office consultation paper released yesterday has announced significant changes to the passport-free zone between the UK and the Republic of Ireland known as the Common Travel Area. The changes are being introduced to prevent the free travel between the two countries being exploited by people-traffickers, organised criminals and smugglers.

Under the new Government proposals announced jointly yesterday by Jacqui Smith, the Home Secretary, and Dermot Ahern, the Irish Justice Minister, the document states; “We intend to carry out checks on passengers and their documents on sea and air routes arriving and departing from the UK to the Republic of Ireland for border and control purposes. Irish and UK citizens will be required to prove their nationality with a passport or national identity card.” But it insisted that there was “no intention to introduce fixed border immigration controls on the land border between the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland.” However immigration checks are to be increased.

Other proposals include activating e-borders to identify those travelling from Northern Ireland.

The public consultation closes on 16 October 2008. Another consultation paper is to be published in the autumn on whether people travelling between Northern Ireland and mainland UK should be subject to further set of proposals.