Africa & World

Irish police detected 50 people attempting to enter Ireland from the UK illegally last week.

The Gardaí said they were refused leave to land and were returned to the UK across four days.

The force said 107 people had been detected, without the correct visas or identity papers, across 21 days of action since the start of October last year.

Four additional days of action took place in the week commencing May 20, when a further 50 people were detected without the correct paperwork.

It comes after Ireland claimed up to 90 per cent of asylum seekers arriving in Dublin have crossed the open border with Northern Ireland because they fear the Rwanda plan.

Ireland rejected an offer by Rishi Sunak to join the scheme and insisted that Rishi Sunak uphold an agreement to take back migrants, which the Prime Minister insists is not legally binding.

“During these operations, persons entering Ireland illegally and were refused leave to land (RLTL) and returned to the UK by ferry from Dublin Port to Holyhead or returned to Belfast, as appropriate depending on the individual circumstances,” Gardaí said.

In a statement, they added that officers carry out immigration checks along the border on a regular basis to detect breaches of immigration legislation and abuses of the Common Travel Area (CTA).

These include checkpoints on roads and checks on the train line through Louth, close to the border with Northern Ireland.

Gardaí said they have “significant operational co-operation with the UK Border Force, UK policing services and the Police Service of Northern Ireland, supported organisationally by the Cross Border Joint Action Task Force”.

“Our Immigration officers work in close collaboration with personnel operating buses and trains in the area,” they added.

“A human rights-based approach is adopted in relation to every individual stopped. Immigration officers will clearly identify themselves to all passengers on buses or trains.

“All Gardaí members have completed training in the Gardaí Code of Ethics and the Gardaí Decision Making Model. All checks carried out are lawful, objective and respectful.”