The UK government is planning to work with the Irish government to strengthen the external border of the Common Travel Area (CTA) after Brexit, The Guardian reports.

Northern Ireland Secretary James Brokenshire said: “Our focus is to strengthen the external border of the Common Travel Area, building on the strong collaboration with our Irish partners.”

The UK government is pursuing the stronger external border as part of a series of moves to avoid reintroducing a hard border between Ireland and Northern Ireland.

It would mean people from outside the EU would go through stricter immigration checks at Irish ports of entry such as Dublin Airport.

Mr Brokenshire told The Guardian: “We are already working closely with the Irish government and other members of the Common Travel Area to prevent people from seeking to evade UK immigration controls from entering via another part of the CTA.

“There is a high level of collaboration on a joint programme of work. This includes investment in border procedures; increased data sharing to inform immigration and border security decisions; passenger data systems enabling the collection and processing of advance passenger information; and harmonised visa processes.”

Ireland’s Foreign Affairs Minister Charlie Flanagan has welcomed the UK government’s commitment to the Common Travel Area, which also includes the Isle of Man and the Channel Islands.

However, he said changes to Ireland’s immigration rules “will be a decision not just by the UK or Irish governments but ultimately also by the 27 EU states”.

Mr Flanagan added: “I have been impressing on my fellow 26 EU foreign ministerial colleagues the importance of maintaining what is now an invisible border. I have to say there was among them a deep understanding of the consequences for the peace process of the reimposition of a heavily fortified border.”