Michael McDowell (Dublin South East, Progressive Democrats)

I have great sympathy for the Deputy's point that a single agency should combine the functions of CAB and ARA on an all-island basis. There is significant scope for cross-Border agencies of this kind and the changes made to the Constitution in the aftermath of the Good Friday Agreement make provision for their establishment. As a footnote, on a recent perusal of archival material in my Department, I noticed that some exciting proposals were made during the Sunningdale negotiations by the Irish Government for joint policing initiatives. However, we have to learn to walk before we run. We have to ensure the basis for co-operation between the forces of law and order on either side of the island is enhanced and that interpenetration takes place through secondments so as to build the necessary trust.

In principle, I support proposals to establish a single criminal intelligence body but we must be aware of political realities in Northern Ireland. It was difficult enough to persuade the majority community there to accept the Patten proposals, let alone introduce an all-Ireland dimension to some aspects of policing.

I strongly support any method whereby common notification can be made of sex offenders who are registered on either side of the Border upon conviction in the UK or Ireland, if not a single register of such offenders. However, a single sex offenders register would probably necessitate an alignment of criminal law in the area of sexual offences because complications would otherwise arise in terms of putting people on the same register if each jurisdiction provided for difference consequences for offences. I have an open mind on the question of whether a mutual recognition system or a single register is the correct approach. I concur with the Deputy that it is essential that sex offenders registers be made interoperable at the very least.

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