STORY
The Common Travel Area has come under renewed political scrutiny after reports that large numbers of asylum seekers in Ireland may have entered through the land border with Northern Ireland. The Guardian reported that Irish Government data suggests up to 90% of asylum seekers in Ireland may have entered via the Northern Ireland border in the last three years.
The UK Home Office said it had apprehended more than 900 immigration offenders abusing the open land border in the past year. The issue has gained attention after the Belfast knife attack, where the suspect was reported to have travelled through Dublin before going to Northern Ireland.
British and Irish ministers have held discussions about cross-border cooperation and the operation of the Common Travel Area. The Irish Government said arrangements for re-operationalising a post-Brexit returns agreement would be developed in consultation with the UK.