One person has been refused entry to the US at Dublin airport as part of Donald Trump's new travel ban, according to the Department of Transport.

Over the weekend, Mr Trump put a 120-day hold on allowing refugees into the US, an indefinite ban on refugees from Syria and a 90-day bar on citizens from Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen.

Dublin and Shannon airports are among a small number of sites in the world that offer preclearance to passengers travelling to the US.

A spokesperson for the Department of Transport confirmed to Independent.ie: "One person was refused US entry at Dublin airport. They were dealt with in accordance with US preclearance procedures as set out in the preclearance Act of 2009."

The nationality of the individual has not been confirmed.

This evening Taoiseach Enda Kenny asked for a complete review of US preclearance facilities in Ireland.

Read More

Earlier Katherine Zappone, who is a US native, demanded a review of the legal implications for Ireland of Mr Trump's order, which prevents travellers and refugees from seven predominantly Muslim countries gaining entry to the US.

The American Embassy in Dublin has warned that even Irish passport-holders who also claim nationality in one of the seven countries will be turned away.

In a major diplomatic departure, the Children's Minister said she will ask her Cabinet colleagues to act quickly to remove US Homeland Security's power to screen passengers on Irish soil if citizens are being discriminated against.

"I think the Irish people would be in favour of that and certainly the Irish-Americans would be favour of that as well," she said.

"We need to determine whether our Constitution and the international treaties we have signed up to, that those laws operate in context of Irish soil in terms of prohibiting those policies of discrimination against nationalities, and also people of particular religions, that Donald Trump has implemented."

Legal sources last night told the Irish Independent that the arrangement between the USA and the Irish Government is based on the understanding that pre-clearance procedures do not diminish the rights enjoyed by individuals under our Constitution.

It comes as the US Embassy in Dublin issued a notice to nationals of the countries affected, including dual nationals, stating that they will not be granted visas.

People who have already scheduled a visa interview at the US Embassy in Ballsbridge have been told to not bother attending, "as we will not be able to proceed".

The countries affected are Syria, Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen.

The Department of Justice was last night unable to supply figures for the number of Irish citizens from these countries; however it is likely to be in the thousands.

More to Follow

Online Editors