Donaldson dismisses border permit concerns

JEFFREY Donaldson has dismissed calls from the West Tyrone MP to scrap plans to introduce a cross-border travel permit for non-Irish or British people.

The plans, which were announced last year by the UK government as part of the Nationality and Borders Bill, would require non-British and non-Irish EU nationals to apply for pre-travel clearance before crossing into the North.

Órfhlaith Begley MP criticised the policy as “foolish”, saying it would harm cross-border tourism to the tune of £160 million.

The MP said, “Now is the time when we need to do all we can to attract people to visit here which will support jobs in the tourism and hospitality sectors however instead we have the British government showing complete disregard for that as they are planning to introduce new barriers and red tape which will deter people from travelling.

“Most international visitors to the North arrive via Dublin airport therefore this could have substantial consequences and be another blow for those sectors that have already suffered immensely over the last two years due to travel restrictions caused by the pandemic.”

A protest was held last month at the border between Strabane and Lifford against the policy with one councillor branding the policy “racist” as it would particularly impact ethnic minorities with neither Irish nor British citizenship.

Cllr Lilian Seenoi-Barr, director of the North West Migrants Forum, said, “Refugees, asylum seekers and many other migrants are excluded from free movement across the border to access healthcare, work, or to visit friends and family.”

Speaking after an anti-protocol rally in Castlederg on Friday, the DUP leader dismissed the concerns.

He told the Tyrone Herald, “This is not about the movement of ordinary people across the border between Northern Ireland and the Republic, who maybe travel daily for their work or to do their shopping.

“This is about people who come from outside the Common Travel Area (CTA) and to ensure we know who is moving into the CTA and who’s moving across the border.”

Mr Donaldson added that he “doesn’t think” the policy will damage the North’s tourism industry. “It doesn’t stop British or Irish people from visiting the US, signing a declaration as they enter the country, so I don’t think this is any different,” he said.