Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)

The Government is committed to maintaining the highest level of co-operation between the Garda and the Police Service of Northern Ireland, PSNI, and between my Department and the Northern Ireland Department of Justice. It is clear that by working together on matters of mutual concern and interest we can improve the lives of all the people on the island of Ireland.

Co-operation between the Garda Síochána and the PSNI remains at the highest level on all aspects of policing activity. Obviously, the appalling bomb attack in Omagh at the weekend, in which PSNI Constable Ronan Kerr was tragically killed, highlights once again the importance of the two police forces working together to counter the terrorist threat. I take the opportunity to reiterate the Government's total condemnation of that attack, as well as the commitment of the Garda Síochána to offer every support to the PSNI's efforts to bring those responsible to justice.

Operational policing co-operation is, of course, the responsibility of the Garda Commissioner and PSNI Chief Constable and their officers. As for meeting the threat posed by terrorists, I remind the House that the former Chief Constable stated publicly that some of his officers were alive thanks to pre-emptive Garda operations. The current Chief Constable has reiterated the high quality and importance of cross-Border co-operation and stated the quality of this co-operation is even higher than that between neighbouring police forces in Great Britain. The two police forces recently launched a new cross-Border policing strategy, covering areas including cross-Border investigations and operations, intelligence-sharing and security, information and communications technology and emergency planning. Under the 2002 police co-operation agreement, protocols have been signed that provide for the implementation of a programme of personnel exchanges and secondments between the Garda Síochána and the PSNI.

Structured co-operation between my Department and the Northern Ireland Department of Justice takes place under the auspices of the intergovernmental agreement on co-operation in criminal justice matters. The agreement provides for regular meetings between me and the Northern Ireland Minister for Justice to discuss criminal justice matters. One of my first actions following my appointment as Minister was to meet my counterpart in Northern Ireland, Mr. David Ford. We reaffirmed our commitment to continuing co-operation between our two Departments on these issues. I was accompanied at that meeting by the Garda Commissioner, while Mr. Ford was accompanied by the Chief Constable of the PSNI, Mr. Matt Baggott.

Overall, I have no doubt that working together in such areas as criminal justice policy, enforcement policy and the sharing of expertise and best practice can only be to the benefit of all the people on this island.

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