The visa requirement for Irish visitors to Colombia has been lifted, following representations from Minister for Foreign Affairs Dermot Ahern. The restriction was introduced following the August 2001 arrest of the "Colombia Three" on terrorism charges at Bogota's El Dorado Airport.
The three Irishmen - Niall Connolly, Martin McCauley and James Monaghan - were initially found not guilty on the main charges of training FARC guerrillas, but this was reversed on appeal. However, they jumped bail and returned to Ireland rather than serve their 17-year sentences.
Following the initial arrests, the Colombian authorities issued a ruling that - uniquely among European Union member states at the time - that all Irish citizens would require a visa for travel to Colombia.
Ironically, only Niall Connolly was holding an Irish passport when arrested while his two companions were using British passports, but no visa requirement was imposed for British passport-holders.
On the instructions of Mr Ahern, officials from the department made representations to the Colombian authorities on the matter last year, initially without success.
However, the Colombian foreign ministry has lifted the visa requirement as of January 1st, for all Irish citizens who wish to visit Colombia temporarily and for Irish tourists to Colombia.
According to the order signed by Foreign Minister Maria Consuelo Araujo, the lifting of the visa requirement was recommended by the director for Europe in the foreign ministry, "taking into account that Ireland has succeeded in becoming one of the most economically and socially advanced countries in the EU and it is appropriate to initiate a process of rapprochement and diversification of the agenda with this country".
Colombia is keen to develop greater economic links, but this was being hindered by the visa requirement. The Colombians have also been appreciative of the supportive stance Mr Ahern has taken in relation to their peace process and the country's controversial "justice and peace law", aimed at demobilising former guerrillas and paramilitaries.
Commenting on the move, Mr Ahern said: "I very much welcome the decision of the Colombians to lift the visa requirements for Irish citizens. We have been working steadily through our ambassador in Mexico to have this requirement lifted and now that hard work has borne fruit.
"As far as I am concerned it was not sustainable to have Ireland, almost alone among countries in western Europe, to continue to be singled out with the requirement that its citizens require entry visas."
The Colombian authorities applied in September 2005 for the "Colombia Three" to be sent back from Ireland, but were told by the Government that the documentation supplied did not form a sufficient legal basis for extradition.
