Ireland and the Schengen zone?

tinytobe · 01-10-2023 8:32pm #1

Did Ireland ever consider joining the Schengen zone of the EU?

Or was this no choice with free movement between the UK and Ireland?

Last time I took the ferry from Holyhead to Dublin and back, they did check passports which surprised me.

dxhound2005 · 01-10-2023 8:40pm

I'm going to guess that the last time you took that ferry was in 1984. Would that be anywhere close?

tinytobe · 02-10-2023 7:33am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121182745#Comment_121182745

No, it was 2017. This is why this surprises me.

I also recall that flights from London to Dublin were treated as domestic flights and there were no passport checks as well. Now there are.

zell12 · 02-10-2023 7:38am

It is normal.

Peregrinus · 02-10-2023 7:54am

IRL did consider joining Schengen but, unless the UK joined at the same time, it would mean disrupting the CTA. So IRL's position is that it won't join Schengen unless (a) the UK does (which seems, um, unlikely in the medium term) or unless the CTA comes to an end (which is also unlikely).

In a very hypothetical future in which the UK applies to join the EU and the EU agrees to admit it, as a new entrant the UK would be expected to adopt Schengen. In that scenario Ireland would also adopt Schengen.

IRL does regularly, if not always, check the passports of people arriving from the UK by air or sea, and has for many years. Citizens of countries other than the UK and IRL are not entitled to the benefits of the CTA and visa requirements can be enforced against them, if applicable. The purpose of the passport check is to identify people who may be subject to Irish visa requirements.

The UK is entitled, if it wishes, to check the passports of people arriving from Ireland but, so far, it generally hasn't.

Jim2007 · 02-10-2023 8:03am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121183567#Comment_121183567

Of course Ireland could join Schengen, but it's hard to see any great advantage in doing so at this stage...

As for the checking of IDs, it is important to understand that all carriers are fined heavily if the land an individual who is later refused entry. So they make their own rules on what documents and checking is required to travel with them.

Also there are plenty of regular checks within the Schengen Zone, particularly on regional and local trains that cross borders. Plus everyone is required to be able to identify themselves and justify their presence in the Zone if asked and the authorities have the right to detain an individual until such time as they are satisfied as to the person's identity.

Ireland and the Schengen zone?

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