Airlines face higher fines for passengers without valid travel documents

Under the plan, airlines will be fined €2,500 per passenger without correct documentation, up from €1,500. These fines will then be doubled to €5,000 per passenger, if an airline fails to pay the fine within four weeks.

The proposal will also see both the Department of Justice and the Garda National immigration Bureau draw up new guidelines for airlines to carry out checks for travel documents. These guidelines will be reviewed at regular intervals.

The review has also recommends the Government consider introducing dynamic fines for airlines, which would see further increased fines for carriers which do not improve

Briefings to be provided to Cabinet on Wednesday will also detail that more than 100 people have been prosecuted so far this year for arriving without proper documentation.

Ms McEntee is also due to announce a new Garda Reserve recruitment campaign, with a target of 1,000 new volunteers by 2026.

Meanwhile, Social Protection Minister Heather Humphreys will update Cabinet on the Government’s Carer’s Support Grant — with 132,000 carers set to receive the €1,850 payment on Thursday.

The payment will be made directly to carers, and will be available to all those who provide full-time care to an older person or someone with a disability. Those who care for two or more people will receive the payment for each person.

Housing Minister Darragh O’Brien is also due to bring forward an expansion to the Local Authority Home Loan, which will allow for vacant and derelict homes to be purchased and renovated under the scheme.

Previously, this scheme was only available for purchase, not renovation

Meanwhile, Public Expenditure Minister Paschal Donohoe will seek Government approval to agree to the development of a Digital Life Events Service for public services and the launch of a Government Digital Wallet towards the end of the year.

So-called “life events” are times in the public’s lives that involve greater interaction with State services and could include the birth of a child, marriage, learning to drive, finding a home, or managing the death of a loved one.

The Life Events Service would build on the MyGovID electronic identification system and the Government Digital Wallet would be a secure repository for digital Government documents, which may include a digital driving licence, birth certificate, European  health insurance card.