Clear up confusion on Common Travel Area

THE Common Travel Area between the Republic of Ireland and the United Kingdom has long been a curious entity. Its origins lie in the declaration of the Irish Free State in 1923, and the ongoing desire since that time by both governments to avoid border identity checks between the two nations.

In particular, both sides opposed the notion of routine identity checks between the Republic and the North, which would have been particularly offensive to the nationalist community there.

Despite this agreement, there have long been exceptions. Airline passengers arriving at Dublin Airport from the UK are required to show their passports, though technically the CTA means they shouldn’t. Anti-terror legislation allows for identity checks between the North and Britain. And the agreement applies only to citizens of both countries, meaning that non-citizens can be asked for proof of identity.

It is in this context that the Garda apparently chose to stop an airport bus from Belfast to Dublin and ask non-nationals to prove their identity. One man of Asian origin, who was not carrying a passport, was removed from the vehicle. Garda sources suggest such vehicle stops are more common since Britain voted to leave the EU.

All of this raises serious questions. In the first instance, what exactly are the rules? Is there free travel between members of the CTA or not? If so, why is it not applied uniformly? Moreover, if an exception can be made for non-nationals, in a multi-racial society, how are gardaí expected to be able to tell the difference when ethnicity, or even language, are no longer indicators of nationality? And finally, has Brexit led to an unheralded increase in such border checks? These are all questions which need to be answered publicly – and the position made clear and fair for everybody.