The Government may have to introduce a form of national identity card for Irish citizens once the British government moves to introduce such a system, the Minister for Justice, Mr McDowell, has said.
While personally reluctant to introduce such a scheme, the Minister said plans for a compulsory ID card in the UK would have implications for Ireland because of our shared Border and common travel area.
A consultation process will be established shortly to take soundings from groups and individuals over whether an ID card system should be introduced and how it could operate.
At present Irish nationals travelling to the North and Britain are not required by immigration authorities to produce a passport. However, this may change once the British government's plans for compulsory ID cards are introduced.
Mr McDowell told The Irish Times that one possibility would be to introduce a scheme where it would be obligatory to have an identity card but not to carry it at all times.
Another possibility was a voluntary ID card system for people travelling regularly between Ireland and Britain, he said.
"We have to respond to the move. If it becomes mandatory in the UK, how can Irish people travel into Northern Ireland and Britain without some form of ID? Or do we want to put ourselves into a position that you have to have a valid passport?" Mr McDowell asked.
He said a consultation process would examine a number of issues relating to the potential use of a national ID card system.
These would include:
"It's not a problem that will go away," Mr McDowell said. "My own starting point is that the onus is on people who argue for it rather than against it.
" This is a case where desirability for ID cards has to be shown by people who want it. This isn't a top-down thing, this will be a bottom-up decision. If people don't want ID cards, then we won't impose them," he said.
Plans for a mandatory ID card are at an advanced stage in Britain. ID cards will begin to be issued along with passports within three years.
Westminster is due to consider whether to make them mandatory by 2011.
The plans have sparked controversy among civil liberties groups who say the move is costly, illiberal and ineffectual. The British government says they will help prevent terrorism and combat identity fraud.
Opinion polls in Britain suggest that plans for national ID cards are supported by around 80 per cent of people.
The issue of ID cards in the UK and its implications for Irish citizens in the North, was due to be raised at the Northern talks until they broke down last month.