Coveney accused of ‘jaw-dropping hypocrisy’ by clergyman over border visa rules

The Reverend Chris Hudson said ongoing spot checks by Garda patrols of immigrants on trains and buses crossing from Northern Ireland into the Republic made a “mockery” over Minister Coveney’s outrage about the British plans.

Dr Hudson said his own wife Isabella was subjected to such a check by Gardai only a few years ago and asked to produce ID.

“Isabella must have been stopped because to those officers my wife looked as if she was from the Mediterranean. She is Dublin-born and when she gave them her Irish passport one of the officers said, ‘Who did you marry to get this?’”

His church in All Soul’s Church in Belfast’s Elmwood Avenue is twinned with the Unitarian church in Dublin and often his multi-racial congregation travel south for joint services, Dr Hudson said.

“Because of the Garda checks on buses just over the border after Kileen and on the train at the Dundalk stop we have advised some of our congregation such as seven young Iranian Christian asylum seekers not to travel to Dublin with us. Others such as our people from Zimbabwe who live in Belfast and worship at All Soul’s have had similar experiences as Isabella had,“ he said.

Dr Hudson added: “I am totally opposed to any move by the British Government to restrict freedom of movement for non-Irish, non-British citizens but Mr Coveney is in a glasshouse throwing stones.”