Taoiseach Micheál Martin and UK PM Keir Starmer Reaffirm Common Travel Area Commitment

Taoiseach Micheál Martin spoke with UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Friday, reaffirming their commitment to the Common Travel Area (CTA) and emphasizing the need to prevent its exploitation within the asylum system. This discussion follows recent UK political debate regarding the CTA and immigration checks in Northern Ireland, particularly after a knife attack in Belfast.

Martin noted that while some UK politicians view the CTA as a «backdoor route» into the UK, the agreement, established in 1922 and reaffirmed in 2019, allows Irish and British citizens free movement and residency. He stressed the importance of data and intelligence sharing between the PSNI, Garda Síochána, and British police to address potential abuses.

The Taoiseach highlighted that the core issue is the complementarity of asylum seeker processes, not necessarily the border itself. He stated that the CTA facilitates two-way travel and both governments must be vigilant and collaborate to ensure a robust asylum system. Martin mentioned strong immigration checks at Irish airports over the past five years, with evidence of fewer air arrivals, but acknowledged people also travel via Northern Ireland. He underscored the imperative for proactive and intense coordination between the British and Irish governments to protect the CTA.