Why doesn't Ireland join Schengen ?

Dom the chemist

We opted out back in the day because the Brits did but now that they are gone maybe we should sign up?

Yurt2

As long as the UK are outside Schengen we will never be in it.

That's the long and short of the situation.

Gregor Samsa

We'd lose our open border with the UK, which would be utterly disastrous. Look at the lengths we're going to to keep customs checks off the NI border. Could you imagine the chaos passport checks would bring? And what advantage would it bring? We (Irish citizens) already visa free movement to all the Schengen countries. If we had a land border with a Schengen country, it might make sense for us to consider it, but our only land border is with a non-Schengen country, and the political, cultural and economic importance of free movement over that border trumps the minor inconvenience of having to show a passport once on arrival at a Schengen country. It would obviously be an advantage for non-EU passport holders who live here if we were in Schengen, but to be honest, they're simply not a priority.

ShayNanigan

I think there are some benefits in being part of Schengen, can't remember all of it but there were some limitations that were more relaxed for member countries. If I recall correctly for example, if you travel to a Schengen area country from outside Schengen, you are only allowed to bring 14 days of medication (can't remember what medications this was applied to) with you but if you are traveling within Schengen area, it's 30 days of meds. I believe there are other similar things there. A few years ago one of my cousins traveled to Sweden(?) for a month and being chronically ill, that part was a problem. Wasn't easy arranging it abroad either. But anyway, not sure if I think Schengen is worth the bother.

ohnonotgmail

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119210138#Comment_119210138

that only applies to certain medications like opioids, valium, ritalin, etc.

ShayNanigan

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119210166#Comment_119210166

Yeah, probably. I don't think I'll call him and ask which one it was though. 😁 But whatever it was, I'm sure it was a nuisance to him.

Not sure but weren't there some other customs limitations too with other things? Would make sense since they want it to be beneficial for the countries in it.

seenitall

Schengen seems to be a very transitory and ephemeral feature of the EU. It all but collapsed completely during two crises of recent years, Covid and “irregular” migration. Since there seem to be more crises of this nature on the horizon for the foreseeable, I wouldn’t be losing any sleep over not being a part of it. The CTA is much more important for Ireland (and even for that, I think some shaky ground may be in the offing! - the times they are a-changing, and not for the better).

_Kaiser_

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058250436/why-doesnt-ireland-join-schengen

What? You think we don't have enough problems trying to support the people already living here and who are arriving from Ukraine? You want to encourage even more?

Besides, the EU as a political entity will never work IMO. There's too many conflicting national interests, too much cultural, social and economic disparity, no shared European "identity" or history (that doesn't involve one half blowing up the other half), and no political accountability (even less so than our own domestic lot).

So, pass on that idea. We are far more aligned to NI and the UK than we are "the mainland"

OneEightSeven

If we join the Schengen, Ireland would become a transit country for migrants trying to enter Britain and that will result in a hard border between us and the UK. Is that really worth shaving off several minutes of the journey to France and Spain and back?

seenitall

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119213017#Comment_119213017

Eh, that’s already happening via the Rosslare transiting containers and the “English language schools”, and god knows what other means. So watch this space.

But agreed, Schengen wouldn’t help the situation either.

ittakestwo

Not sure it has been said but we can't because of the Good Friday Agreement. Only if the UK joined could we go in. Otherwise a physical border would be needed north/south which would split the irish nation. Some people cross the invisible north/south border going to thier local shop etc. When there is a united ireland then we could join schengan.

I can see us staying with the UK on other issues even if EU diverge. We will probably be allowed stay of day light saving hours should the rest of the EU scrap it but UK keeps it again not to put the irish nation in two different time zones.