Airlines fined €2.5m in last two years for flying in passengers without travel documents
Jim O’Callaghan TD, who received the data in answer to a parliamentary question, queried why the airlines breaching the law were not identified. Picture: Damien Storan/PA
Airlines arriving into Ireland have been fined more than €2.5m over the last two years over passengers failing to have valid travel documents upon arrival in the State.
New data released by the Department of Justice shows that there were 918 carrier liability fines issued up to the end of November last year, costing airlines a total of €1,476,000.
In 2022, 958 Carrier Liability Fines were issued, costing airlines €1,102,500.
According to the Department of Justice, individual fines to airlines are €1,500 per offence, with these fines then rising to €3,000 if not paid within 28 days.
“The Garda National Immigration Bureau (GNIB) have responsibility for issuing carrier liability notices and warnings and for the imposition of carrier liability fines on carriers who permit a non-national to travel with their airline or ferry without the necessary entry or transit visa,” Justice Minister Helen McEntee said, responding to Fianna Fáil’s Jim O’Callaghan.
“The question of the appropriate level of fines is kept under ongoing review.”
The names of the airlines were unavailable for “operational reasons”, which Mr O’Callaghan described as unusual.
“It is unusual that the identity of the airlines breaching this law was not made available to me and, more importantly, the public," said the Fianna Fáil TD for Dublin Bay South.
Under Irish laws, all airlines and ferry companies have a legal obligation to ensure that any passenger arriving into Ireland have a valid passport or other travel document which establish their identity and nationality.
Ms McEntee said: “In parallel, and in support of these obligations, immigration officials are actively engaging with airport authorities and airlines at a senior level to underscore the importance of passengers possessing correct documentation and to provide support in helping them to reduce the number of passengers boarding flights without the correct documentation.”
According to the department, some 3,285 people did not have valid travel documents when arriving into the State last year. They were refused leave to enter.
The department adds that there has been a reduction of one third in the number of people arriving into Dublin Airport without valid travel documents.
However, both the Border Management Unit (BMU) and the GNIB are working on an “intelligence-led” programme of operations on airplanes to detect passengers who have destroyed travel documents inflight. This operation is also seeking to identify the point of embarkation for undocumented passengers.
While people do arrive without documentation in Dublin Airport, the Irish Refugee Council has cautioned that this does not necessarily mean that documents have been destroyed.
While those who do arrive without documentation are not granted leave to enter the State, they are permitted to claim asylum.
Up-to-date figures show that there are 26,279 asylum seekers, of whom 5,621 are children, in the State.
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