Speech by Alan Shatter TD, Minister for Justice, Equality and Defence
at the launch of Irelands first Visa Waiver Programme
on Thursday, 30th June 2011, at Department of Justice,
51 St Stephens Green, Dublin 2
Ladies and Gentlemen, I am delighted to be here today to launch the first
ever Irish Visa Waiver Programme as an integral part of the Governments
Jobs Initiative. This Programme, which I initiated in my Department
shortly after my appointment, will make it easier for tourist and business
visitors to the UK to come to Ireland without the need for an Irish visa.
It is designed to give a much needed boost to our tourist industry and to
encourage business development. It demonstrates the innovative and
imaginative approach of this Government and the public sector to working
our way to economic recovery. I think it is also right that, in launching
the programme, I acknowledge the cooperation of the British government in
its development.
I am, of course, delighted that An Taoiseach and An Tanaiste have joined
Minister Leo Varadkar and myself to mark the launch of the Programme.
Their presence here this morning signifies in a potent way the importance
this government attaches to finding innovative ways to help our tourist
industry and to develop our economy. I also want to specially welcome all
of you in the audience here whether you are a provider of tourism
services or whether you work to support our tourism industry.
This week, I signed into law the Statutory Instrument which will give
effect to the Programme at its start date tomorrow, 1st July. As of
tomorrow, nationals of 16 specified countries can travel to Ireland from
the UK without the need for an Irish visa. The Programme will run as a
pilot up to the end of October 2012 but may be added to or amended at any
point depending on our experience of the pilot.
This Programme is a major breakthrough and I know that tourist industry
interests also see it as such. It is also of considerable importance that
it will facilitate those visiting Britain, who are interested in business
development, to include this State in their itinerary. For the tourist
industry this measure represents real practical assistance at a time when
it is clearly needed.
I am also pleased to announce today that nationals of the 16 countries
involved in the Programme, who are long term legal residents in the UK,
will have the cost of a visa to Ireland waived as part of this scheme.
There are very substantial numbers of people in this category in the UK
some estimates suggest that it is a million plus. This further
announcement will, I believe, open up further opportunities for our tourism
industry. These potential visitors who may never have considered coming
here for a break will now be able to come here with relative ease with no
add-on visa fee.
This concession is, I believe, a further significant development of
practical assistance and I know you will use it as a further opportunity to
generate additional badly needed tourism activity. Like the Waiver
Programme, this measure also comes into force tomorrow.
Today's launch marks, in many ways, a significant shift in the way policy
and public services are developed in this country. Put at its simplest,
it is joined-up Government in action. The main players came together in an
open dialogue where there was a shared acceptance that things needed to
change to help one of our major employers up off its knees. The Visa
Waiver Programme, as well as the waiving of the visa charge for long-term
UK residents, is a real and tangible outcome of this process of engagement,
facilitated and led by my Department.
I would also like to take this opportunity to thank the Garda National
Immigration Bureau for their help and cooperation in developing this
Programme. Officers of the Bureau, in their capacity as Immigration
Officers, will be, of course, on the front line in ensuring that the
Programme runs smoothly as they are responsible for clearing visitors to
enter the State at airports and other points of entry. The Bureau has also
been a valuable liaison with air and other carriers.
I am also grateful for the cooperation shown by the UK authorities. My
Department works very closely with the UK Border Agency on all aspects of
immigration and border control. This initiative is, I hope, just the first
step to even greater cooperation within the context of the Common Travel
Area. In this respect, my officials have had preliminary discussions with
their UK counterparts to explore the feasibility of introducing reciprocal
arrangements. I have also personally been supported in this initiative by
my colleague, the Home Secretary, Theresa May, with whom I first discussed
it on the margins of the first European Council meeting of Justice and Home
Affairs Ministers that I attended in Luxembourg.
In conclusion, the task for you all now is to do your utmost in getting the
message out to the target countries; I urge you to keep at it and wish you
every success.
Thank you
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