Debate contribution: Electronic Travel Authorisation Scheme: EU Nationals
Debate contribution by Dr Caoimhe Archibald on .
- MLA
- Dr Caoimhe Archibald
- Party at the time
- Sinn Féin
- Date
- 1 April 2025
- Type
- Debate contribution (made as a minister)
- Business
- Oral Answers to Questions
- Heading
- Electronic Travel Authorisation Scheme: EU Nationals
- Assembly identifier
- Official Report component 4876889
Read the official Assembly record
Text
I thank the Member for her question. I am deeply concerned about the impact of the introduction of the ETA scheme and what it will mean for our tourism sector, especially as it goes live for European citizens tomorrow, as the Member mentioned, and the cost will increase from next week. Last week, I met representatives of the Tourism Alliance to hear their concerns and about the very real impact that the introduction of the scheme is having. They talked about tourism trips being cancelled and the North being removed from itineraries due to the requirement for visitors here to have an ETA. I have, of course, engaged with the British Government. As recently as last week, I wrote to the British Home Office to make the case for an exemption for the North, given the particular impact here and how visitors to the North mostly travel to the island through Dublin. I will continue to engage on that, and we will continue to monitor the impact.
167 words. Text as published by the Northern Ireland Assembly.
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