As part of efforts to better manage the migration situation and tackle security challenges, Fianna Fáil TD Robert Troy has urged the Minister of Justice Helen McEnteeto reconsider signing up to the European Union’s Visa Information System.
Fail’s comments came after Minister McEntee informed him, in a response to a parliamentary question, that Ireland would not be participating in the Visa Information System (VIS), VisaGuide.World.
The VIS allows Schengen Member States to exchange visa data. The system consists of a central IT system and a communication infrastructure that links this central system to the national system.
Minister McEnteeto stressed that the Schengen Zone encompasses most EU countries, except for Ireland and Cyrus, stressing that Romania and Bulgaria will become part of the Schengen Zone partially from March 31, 2024.
The Minister also added that non-EU States Norway, Iceland, Switzerland and Liechtenstein have also joined the Schengen Zone.
The Minister of Justice said that Ireland is in a separate Common Travel Area from the UK, stressing that the operation of which is not compatible with membership of the Schengen Area Border Code; thus, Ireland does not participate in the Visa Information System, according to a report from RTE.
“Protocol 19 to the Treaty on European Union and Treaty on the Functioning of the EUTEU allows Ireland to request to participate in some or all of the Schengen acquis, and Ireland does participate in certain aspects of the acquis for law enforcement purposes, including the Schengen Information System.” Minister of Justice Helen McEnteeto
According to Troy, the country needs a comprehensive system to ensure it can robustly implement its migration policy.
“It makes sense for Ireland to partake in this system given the changing migration and security challenges. The system protects travellers, helps asylum applications, improves security and fights abuses.” Fianna Fáil TD Robert Troy
Increase in Immigration Figures
The figures from the Central Statistics Office revealed that the number of immigrants coming to Ireland in the year to April 2023 was up by more than 31 per cent. The same source shows that 141,600 people reached Ireland during the same time, compared to 107,800 in 2022.
Based on the statistics from the same source, from 12 months to the end of April 2023, the population increased by 97,600, marking the most significant 12-month increase since 2008.
