Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I meet regularly with and am briefed on an ongoing basis by the Garda Commissioner on all aspects of policing, including cross-Border crime.

There is close and ongoing co-operation between the Garda Síochána and the PSNI on all aspects of policing. Notably, the two police forces operate a joint cross-Border policing strategy which aims to improve public safety throughout Ireland, to disrupt criminal activity and to enhance the policing capability of both police services on the island. The strategy includes sections dealing with operations, cross-Border investigations, intelligence sharing and security, information and communications technology, training, human resources, and emergency planning.

I meet regularly with the Northern Ireland Minister of Justice, David Ford, and we have developed a close working relationship which is of great benefit in addressing matters of mutual concern and in enhancing effective co-operation and co-ordination on all criminal justice matters. In this context, we discuss matters by telephone as they arise. Under the intergovernmental agreement on co-operation on criminal justice matters, we operate a structured framework to further develop this co-operation. Officials from our Departments meet regularly to assess and report to us on developments in a number of areas where co-operation is pursued.

The Department of Justice and Equality and its northern equivalent, the police authorities and the public prosecutors North and South have developed and put in place a joint manual of guidance for use in criminal investigations with a cross-Border element. The manual of guidance supports the police and prosecution authorities in both jurisdictions by ensuring that each side has an awareness of the needs of the other jurisdiction and can bear those in mind in conducting an investigation. The joint manual allows them to maximise the chances of a successful detection and prosecution.

Additional information not given on the floor of the House.

My Department and the Garda Síochána, in conjunction with their counterparts in Northern Ireland, jointly organise and participate in an organised crime conference each year. The conference brings together law enforcement officers from each jurisdiction, including police, customs, the Criminal Assets Bureau and the Serious Organised Crime Agency, to address areas of mutual interest and to enhance the collective operational responses to organised crime in both jurisdictions. There is a shared determination, North and South, to disrupt, investigate, pursue and prosecute organised criminals and the terrorist gangs who are inextricably linked to them. The strength of that determination to work together could clearly be seen in the attendance last week by the PSNI Chief Constable, Minister Ford and Secretary of State Villiers at the funeral of Detective Garda Adrian Donohoe.

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