Posted on July 25, 2008 by Fiona Hilliard

Passengers travelling between Britain and the Republic of Ireland will face passport checks for the first time since the 1920s, amid growing fears that the free travel arrangements between the countries could be exploited by terrorists, illegal immigrants and smugglers.

The Common Travel Area (CTA) has been in use since 1925 when Ireland gained independence.  London and Dublin announced  yesterday that border controls would be introduced on air and sea routes to prevent Islamist terrorists, illegal immigrants and smugglers from using them as easy access routes between Britain and Ireland.

The plans are due to be phased in over the next six years.  They are being introduced as Britain re-thinks its system of immigration checks, including the introduction of its e-Borders programme which will screen all new arrivals to the UK. 

The CTA also relates to the Crown Dependencies, the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man.

Almost 16 million passengers travelled between Ireland and the UK, and the Crown Dependencies in 2006.