Brexit campaigner denounces new Border rules as "utterly and completely unacceptable"

New rules that could potentially deter people from visiting Donegal as part of a potential tour of the Wild Atlantic Way or working through the border counties, in general, have been described as "utterly and completely unacceptable".

The group, Border Communities Against Brexit (BCAB) says they are appalled at the Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) scheme, which is part of the UK Borders Act and is due to take effect next year.

Local BCAB activist, Tom Murray outlines what could happen.

"This scheme will require all non-Irish EU and European Economic Area Citizens; also non-British and non-Irish from other countries to apply prior to travelling.

"To put this simply, an EU citizen from Germany, Poland, etc would have to apply in advance and submit initially facial biometric data, and then in time fingerprint data as part of their application to travel from South to North.

"This is utterly and completely unacceptable."

Mr Murray poses a number of questions he feels the authorities here and in Brussels should be asking.

"How could a truck driver delivering goods to Dundalk, Newry and Monaghan do their job?

"How will American tourists who visit Ireland drive the Atlantic Way to visit the Giants Causeway?

"How will our friends and neighbours who live in the Southern border counties; but come from other EU countries go about their lives without crossing into the North?

"How will this law be policed?

"Will the PSNI and the UK Border Force conduct checkpoints in Border communities and try to identify the non-Irish and non-British, will people be racially profiled?"

Mr Murray adds one of the biggest questions is, what will the immediate consequence be for those stopped by law enforcement, then found to be in breach of this law.

"Will they be immediately arrested and detained?"

He warns: "This law effectively creates a hard border for non-Irish citizens living in Border counties, and there is a huge responsibility for our politicians to do far more to lobby against this legislation and to immediately engage with the PSNI and ask serious detailed questions over its implementation."