A raft of new border control gates are being introduced at Dublin Airport in an effort to enhance security and speed up immigration queues.
The e-Gates will allow travellers with biometric Passports or Irish passport cards to pass through by scanning their document and having their photo taken.
Four of the gates were introduced on a pilot basis in Terminal 1 in 2013 - before they were removed from service in April of this year.
The gates were reportedly removed due to a row over maintenance and monitoring of the gates by civilian clerical staff.
New contract
This morning the Minister for Justice Charlie Flanagan confirmed that a contract for the supply and installation of the gates “at the Irish State's ports of entry” to Lisbon-based company ‘Vision-Box.’
Initially, a batch of 20 gates will be installed at Dublin Airport – with ten in each terminal.
“The introduction of e-Gates will greatly enhance our immigration controls, including our border security, while at the same time providing an improved passenger experience through self-service and speedier passage through the immigration process,” said Minister Flanagan.
The Department of Justice said one civilian immigration officer will be able to monitor multiple gates.
More gates could be added at other points of entry to the State, “should it make operational and financial sense to do so.”
EU Passports
The first batch of e-Gates will be available to Irish and EU travellers over 18-years-of-age carrying biometric Passports or Irish passport cards.
The Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) will consider extending the service to non-EU passport holders following the first phase.
In 2016, immigration services at the Airport processed a record 13.8 million arriving passengers and it is hoped the gates will dramatically cut waiting times.
Passenger numbers at Dublin airport have grown by 46% over the last 5 years, with record numbers again expected for 2017.
The new e-Gates are due to be fully installed and operational at Dublin Airport before the end of the year.
