The Irish government is to consider the introduction of a national identity card.
Following the decision to introduce identity cards in Britain, the Minister for Foreign Affairs Dermot Ahern has confirmed that the Irish government will consider introducing ID cards. Minister for Foreign Affairs Dermot Ahern TD said that the question of national identity cards arises because Britain and Ireland share a common travel area. He said that cards would not be brought in unnecessarily. The minister also stated that there was a small number of terrorist suspects in Ireland who are being watched. The introduction of an ID system may help monitor terrorist suspects.
The Irish Council of Civil Liberties say that ID cards do not work and are an invasion of privacy. Aisling Reidy, Director of the Council for Civil Liberties, describes the possible introduction as, a frightening prospect.
Green Party leader, Trevor Sergent, says there is a need for wider debate on the subject.
We're talking about a basic change in the relationship between the citizen and the state.
An RTÉ News report broadcast on 10 July 2005. The reporter is Conor Mark Kavanagh.
