Minister for Justice of Ireland Helen McEntee has revealed the country will introduced an increase in fines for airlines that carry undocumented passengers in a bid to reduce the numbers of such travellers reaching the country.
Through a recent statement, the Minister said she intends to increase the fines on carriers from the current maximum of €3,000 to €5,000 per passenger, Schengen. News reports.
The number of passengers travelling to Ireland without identification or with false documents has fallen by over a third in the last year. During the same period, airlines had been fined almost €1.5 million for carrying passengers without documents.
McEntee also hoped to have the legislation enacted before the Dail recess so that it was in place for the summer.
Ireland to Introduce Several Measures to Address Irregular Immigration
According to her, this action is one of the elements of the reforms to be introduced to prevent irregular migration and maintain the integrity of the immigration system.
Based on data from the Department of Justice, over 2,250 doorstep operations have been completed by the end of April 2024.
Over 100 People Have Been Prosecuted for Arriving in Ireland Without Required Documentation
In addition, Garda Síochána has prosecuted around 100 people this year for arriving without the correct documentation, and many have been jailed.
Ireland has taken measures to reduce the number of people coming to the country without documents.
Such measures include introducing visa requirements to travel to Ireland from several additional countries and expediting the processing of applications for International Protection.
In this regard, Minister McEntee has secured specific funding for the Garda Airport Liaison Officer program and increased resources for the Border Management Unit (BMU) and the Office of International Protection.
Moreover, BMU and GNIB carry out door operations on planes to target those who destroyed documents in flight.
These are intelligence-led operations based on trends observed by immigration officials, who will conduct initial document checks as passengers disembark a plane to determine a person’s identity and nationality.
Source: https://schengen.news/ireland-plans-to-increase-fines-for-airlines-who-carry-undocumented-passengers-in-bid-to-curb-irregular-migration/
