The Irish Prime Minister, Leo Vardakar, has rejected the idea that people crossing the border after Brexit will have to pre-register to avoid checks.
Vardakar ruled out the plans that are reportedly being considered by the UK government, saying: “No, it is not a solution that we envisage.”
Speaking from the US, the Irish Prime Minister did not accept ideas from the new research paper on smart border technology commissioned by the European Parliament.
The plans for pre-registration would affect over 34,000 business people, nurses and farmers who have to commute over the border every day.
Talks regarding the Irish border remain a critical issue in Brexit negotiations, where there is currently no clear plan on how to avoid the customs and sanitary checks.
David Davis, Boris Johnson, Theresa May and Oliver Robbins have not visited the Irish border, despite it being a key part of current talks.
Vardakar urged senior cabinet figures to visit the border for a better understanding.
“You can read as many briefing documents as you like, sometimes you need to see things with your own eyes,” he said.
“They would certainly be very welcome to visit the border,” he said from Austin, Texas. “I think it would be a good idea, I can’t see anything negative in a British cabinet minister viewing the border, seeing what it looks like.”
“They would be very welcome to see it for themselves. And to see that it is invisible.”
New research on a smart border between Northern and the Republic of Ireland continues. Last week, academics from Queen’s University found that technology would not make the border frictionless.
“Smart border technology is primarily a means of enhancing efficiency. It cannot make a hard border frictionless,” said Katy Hayward, a political sociologist at Queen’s University. “A hard border is not just determined by its visibility.”