ALL PASSENGERS travelling on US-bound flights from Ireland face heightened security checks including body pat-downs and searches of hand luggage.
The Department of Transport said yesterday additional security measures requested by US transport authorities will continue for as long as they are required.
There are no plans to introduce body-scanning equipment, which is being introduced to UK airports over the coming weeks following a failed attempt to blow up a passenger jet on Christmas Day.
The department said use of this technology has not been approved by the EU. The matter is due to be discussed by EU ministers in the coming weeks.
The UK Borders Agency has confirmed that intelligence about the travel movements of suspected Islamic extremists is shared with Irish authorities. Earlier, British Labour MP Andrew MacKinlay had asked if the British had notified Ireland about its decision to bar terrorism suspect Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, who was arrested in Detroit over Christmas, from entering the UK.
A greater level of information is shared between EU countries about travel movements under the Frontex agreement. Mr MacKinlay said the existence of the Common Travel Area between Ireland and the UK meant someone barred from the UK could enter through the Republic, into the North and into Britain.
A spokeswoman for the UK Borders Agency said: “The UK Border Agency shares immigration watch lists with the Irish Government.”
The British home office tried to get legislation passed last year that would have required all travellers between the UK and the Republic to carry passports, or national identity cards, but failed to do so.
“We intend to bring these proposals back to parliament,” said the spokesman. The legislation is “crucial if we are to make the border between the UK and the Republic . . stronger than ever”.
The Department of Justice would only say that there is “close and ongoing co-operation . . . between An Garda Síochána and the UK authorities” on immigration, crime and terrorism.
In a separate development, individuals flying into the US from or through 14 mostly Muslim countries that are “state sponsors of terrorism” or “countries of interest” will be required to go through stricter security checks. As well as pat-downs and bag searches, the enhanced screening will involve full-body scanning and scans by explosive detectors where this equipment is available.
Those affected include citizens of Cuba, Iran, Sudan and Syria – that are considered “state sponsors of terrorism” – as well as “countries of interest”, including Afghanistan, Algeria, Lebanon, Libya, Iraq, Nigeria, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Somalia and Yemen.
Irish authorities said yesterday there will be no change to heightened security measures at Irish airports for US-bound flights, which are in line with measures applied in other EU jurisdictions.