Airlines and ferry firms fined more than €5m since 2019 for passengers lacking documentation

Airlines and ferry companies have been fined more than E5.3m 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 E5,377,470 in carrier fines have been issued. Last year alone, E1,476,000 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. 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% 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.<br/>