The Government is to consider proposals to cancel the passports of suspected jihadis for up to two years as part of the crackdown here on foreign fighters using Ireland as a base.

Justice Minister Frances Fitzgerald has already held discussions on the threats posed by the jihadi fighters with the British Home Secretary, Theresa May and other EU counterparts.

The move comes as the immigration authorities here begin incorporating the collection of biometrics in a tightening up of the visa application process.

The system is being rolled out on a phased basis and has been introduced initially with applicants from Pakistan, who are now required to give fingerprints with their requests.

Immigration officials told the Irish Independent last night that this was acknowledged globally as the "gold standard" in fraud prevention. It will shortly be extended to applicants from other countries.

Officials said that safeguarding the security of the common travel area was afforded the highest priority by the immigration service.

This included close co-operation at an operational and data sharing level with the UK authorities.

That co-operation is said in Dublin to be currently at an all-time high.

Last month Mrs Fitzgerald and Mrs May signed a landmark agreement, aimed at further cementing the co-operation.

The agreement, according to officials, will underpin the sharing of visa data.

Radical measures such as the cancellation of passports for up to two years are being put into action by British Prime Minister David Cameron.

He is bringing in a temporary exclusion order, which will allow police to cancel the passports but it will not revoke the citizenship of any jihadi suspects.

Suspected fighters, who want to return to the UK, will be subject to monitoring. They could also be required to attend de-radicalisation courses.

The Department of Justice said Mrs Fitzgerald was considering the UK proposals and would assess whether any such changes might be appropriate, useful and possible within our legal and constitutional framework.

An official said: "In the event of information being brought to the attention of the minister, which would raise doubts about the good character of any naturalised citizen, the minister can use the statutory process, which is in place for consideration of revoking citizenship.

"The Minister for Foreign Affairs may also, in certain circumstances, cancel a passport already issued to an Irish citizen", the official added.

Since the start of the Arab Spring in 2010, between 25 and 30 people travelled from Ireland to the combat zones, some for humanitarian or family reasons.

Irish Independent