Airlines and ferry companies have been fined more than €5.3 million since 2019 after more than 14,000 people were detected arriving to the State without valid travel documentation, new figures have shown.
Figures provided by the Department of Justice indicate that from 2019 until April of this year, some €5,377,470 in carrier fines have been issued.
Last year alone, €1,476,000 in fines was handed down to carriers for failing to ensure passengers had appropriate travel documentation when boarding flights or ferries.
The department said it could not provide a breakdown of fines by airlines or ferry companies as it was “operationally sensitive” information, while the most up-to-date figures available are to the end of the first quarter of 2024.
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From 2019 until August 31st of this year, some 14,218 people were detected arriving into the State without documentation, 3,287 of whom did so in 2023, according to separate figures from the department.
During the first eight months of this year, 1,590 were found to have arrived in the Republic without valid documentation.
The department said there was a reduction of one-third in the number of people arriving at Dublin Airport without documentation last year while, in the first six months of 2024, the number was approximately 50 per cent of that in the same period in 2022.
A spokesman for the Department of Justice said airlines and ferry companies play an “essential role in protecting and upholding our borders”.
“They are obligated to ensure their passengers have the necessary valid passports, ID cards and visas to travel to Ireland.
“The department and the Garda National Immigration Bureau work closely with airlines to support them in these obligations, including through the provision of training,” he said.
On Tuesday, two men from China were found hiding in toilets at Shannon Airport, having arrived on a Ryanair flight from Spain without passports.
Both pleaded guilty to landing in the State without proper documentation and received two-month suspended sentences.
Although Ryanair said it could not comment on the case, in a statement, it added: “Ryanair ensures all passengers possess the appropriate documentation required for entry into the destination country.”
A spokeswoman for Aer Lingus, meanwhile, said the airline was committed to its legal obligations and sought to ensure at all times that customers possessed the necessary documentation required for their journey.
“Aer Lingus has always worked closely with all relevant authorities to ensure compliance with regulations regarding travel documentation,” she said.
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Earlier this year, Minister for Justice Helen McEntee initiated a review of Ireland’s carrier liability standards as the level of fines had remained unchanged since the commencement of the legislation in 2003.
The review recommended an increase in penalties from €3,000 to €5,000, which came into effect last month, for carriers which do not take sufficient action to ensure passengers have appropriate travel documentation upon embarkment.
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