§ Rev. Ian Paisleyasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many unmanned border crossings, passable by motor vehicles, there are on the Armagh-Monaghan-Louth frontier between Caledon and Carlingford lough; how many of these crossings were formerly sealed but have now been opened by local residents; and how many manned crossings there are on the same stretch of frontier.
§ Mr. Scott[pursuant to his reply, 6 December 1983; c. 129]: There are 76 unmanned border crossing points 447W between Caledon and Carlingford lough currently considered to be passable to motor vehicles. Thirty one of these were closed officially but were subsequently bypassed or unblocked by persons unknown.
The only vehicle check point on this stretch of the border permanently manned by the security forces is at Middletown. It is the professional judgment of the security forces that additional permanent vehicle checkpoints in this area would not be the best operational option, and that active patrolling, including the mounting of "snap" vehicle checkpoints, is a more effective method of combating the terrorist threat.