Should the UK introduce border checks with Ireland over migration concerns?
The UK and Ireland maintain the Common Travel Area, allowing British and Irish citizens to travel freely without routine passport or immigration checks on the land border or most CTA routes. No fixed border checks operate on the Ireland-Northern Ireland land border, though the UK runs intelligence-led operations like Operation Comby and Operation Gull to target people smuggling and abuse by third-country nationals. Recent enforcement has led to hundreds of arrests and removals since 2024 amid concerns over migrants using Ireland as a backdoor into the UK.
39 Opinions
Not unless there is a massive influx across that border that threatens social cohesion in the UK. Which I am pretty sure there isn't right now. Let the Irish peace deal alone.
Stop the boats in general and it won't be a problem
Stop the small boats and flights in first
No, unlike Schengen the CTA works to the benefit of the UK.
I doubt any migrant wants to cross from Ireland to the UK outpost of NI and stop there....so the Irish Sea is the checkpoint that matters.
At least we can count more in ,as won't stop it. No backbone to stand up to Europe
Given the history, and nu.ber of people crossing daily between countries as part of their routine lives, no. Look at the friction at the Gibraltan / Spanish border. Imagine how that can be manipulated.
But first we must withdraw from the Windsor Agreement. Sein Fein has always posed as a party representing down trodden Nationalists. It’s not. It’s a hard left Marxist cadre & it’s real interests do not align with most Irish people North & South. We cannot continue to allow another country & EU to systematically undermine the security of NI & UK. As ever in Ireland reasonable & practical solutions are painted as extreme & those who coerce & threaten violence tend to prevail.
I only voted yes on the assumption that there were no checks on the border between EU Ireland and UK Northern Ireland. If there were adequate checks there I would say No
I think history books need reading before doing something like this... Turning Northern Ireland into a political flashpoint is not a great idea. Over 300 roads crossing between Ireland and Northern Ireland and communities that rely on cross-border life... This will just reignite sectarian instability and violate historic peace agreements