Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 1 July 2026
47. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the way in which compliance with visa conditions, including permitted length of stay, is monitored and enforced in the absence of a comprehensive entry–exit tracking system; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49292/26]
View answerI can inform the Deputy that as Ireland does not operate routine exit checks at Irish borders, it is not possible to confirm in all instances that a person has departed. Compliance with immigration permissions is monitored through a range of measures, including registration and renewal requirements, oversight of education providers and intelligence-led enforcement by the Garda National Immigration Bureau.
Additionally, immigration officers at airports and ports of entry routinely check the travel history of arriving non-national passengers, as well as verifying their identity, purpose of travel, and intent to leave the State.
A person found to be in the state without an immigration permission will be issued with a proposal of intention to be deported under the Immigration Act 1999, as amended.
The Programme for Government commits to developing a comprehensive border security strategy, including the use of technology to support border screening. This work is underway and will, among other things, consider international developments in this regard, such as the development and roll-out of Exit-Entry Systems in the Schengen area and other jurisdictions. Introducing such checks would have significant operational and practical implications, particularly in light of the land border and the operation of the Common Travel Area, and will require careful consideration in that context.
