Senior Government figures in Dublin have defended the Common Travel Area (CTA) between the Republic and the UK amid debate over the open border in Ireland after Monday’s knife attack in Belfast.Hadi Alodid, a 30-year-old Sudanese national who on Wednesday appeared in court charged with attempted murder of a man in north Belfast – entered Northern Ireland across the Irish border in February 2023, having flown to Dublin from Paris before taking a bus to Belfast.He claimed asylum upon arrival in Northern Ireland and in September 2023 was granted leave to remain in the UK until 2028.Speaking in the House of Commons, DUP leader Gavin Robinson said the knife attack in Belfast on Monday night, which sparked riots on Tuesday night, was “medieval” and suggested the “open, porous border” between Ireland and Northern Ireland should be closed.Meanwhile, secretary of state for Northern Ireland Hilary Benn told reporters at the Police Service of Northern Ireland headquarters in Belfast that he called Minister for Justice Helen McEntee on Tuesday night “to brief her on what had happened, given what we now know about how the suspect arrived in Northern Ireland”.[ Man (30) appears in court charged with attempted murder after Belfast stabbingOpens in new window ]He continued: “Obviously there are questions for us – some of which have been asked today – and there will be questions too to the authorities in Ireland about what they know about the individual, because all of that may contribute to the investigation process that is rightly continuing, being led by the chief constable.”At a press conference on Ireland’s upcoming European Union presidency in Dublin McEntee confirmed that Irish authorities would “absolutely” co-operate if asked.She said she spoke to Benn on Tuesday night “to convey my absolute horror at the vicious attack that took place on Monday night.“And obviously that’s the subject of investigation now which we all welcome.”She said she expressed “significant concern at the violence we saw erupt last night in the streets” in the wake of the knife attack adding it was important for everyone on the island to “call for calm” and “restraint”.She also said: “I’m obviously aware that discussions have been raised around the Common Travel Area (CTA). What I’d say is that this is something that we have enjoyed between both islands for many years, and it has contributed to both on an economic and a social perspective – growing prosperity.”Taoiseach Micheál Martin also defended the CTA, saying “The key to UK-Irish relationships in terms of immigration is first of all engagement between the two governments.”He also spoke of the importance of “comprehensive co-ordination between police forces, between the Garda Síochána and the PSNI in this instance.”Martin also highlighted: “The clear assertion of the principle that the Common Travel Area works for citizens in the United Kingdom and for Irish citizens as a benefit.“Others may abuse the Common Travel Area,” he said, but “it’s primarily a framework for citizens”.“There are issues both ways that we can only really address by proper engagement between the two governments and in particular between the home secretary and Minister for Justice.”