Sir, – I was rather surprised at the content of the letter of July 6th from retired ambassador David Denham in relation to the Common Travel Area and the Schengen Area Accord.
The Common Travel Area, while not a formal international agreement, has been in existence since the foundation of the State and has served Irish citizens travelling to and working in the UK (including several of my uncles) well. It has endured through almost 30 years of troubles in Northern Ireland and still operates smoothly.
In contrast, and given our island location, all that opting into Schengen is likely to do is facilitate another wave of international protection applicants travelling here to further overwhelm the process. – Yours, etc,
MICHAEL FLYNN,
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Bayside,
Dublin 13.
Sir, – There is a precedent for my suggestion. Norway and Sweden have a bilateral border-free travel arrangement yet both are members of the Schengen area. With a little imagination and ingenuity we could be too.
It requires bold thinking outside the box in which we find ourselves. Now is the moment; there may not be another anytime soon again. Taoiseach, be brave. Ask Sir Keir. If you don’t ask, you won’t know. – Yours, etc,
DONAL DENHAM,
Blackrock,
Co Dublin.