David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I move:

That Dáil Éireann approve the exercise by the State of the option or discretion under Protocol No. 21 on the position of the United Kingdom and Ireland in respect of the area of freedom, security and justice annexed to the Treaty on European Union and to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, to accept the following measure:Regulation (EU) 2015/2219 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 25th November, 2015 on the European Union Agency for Law Enforcement Training (CEPOL) and repealing and replacing Council Decision 2005/681/JHA,a copy of which was laid before Dáil Éireann on 13th April, 2016.

I am very pleased to move this motion in the House today. It gives me an opportunity to describe the service provided by the European Union Agency for Law Enforcement Training, CEPOL, and highlight the benefit it brings to An Garda Síochana. The motion, if passed, will allow Ireland to exercise its right under Protocol No. 21 of the Treaty on European Union and the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union to opt in to the EU regulation on CEPOL.

CEPOL, which is the European police college, was established in 2005. It brings together senior police officers from across the EU and aims to encourage cross-border co-operation in the fight against crime and the maintenance of public security and law and order through training and exchange programmes and the sharing of research and best practice. Since 2005, An Garda Síochana has played an important part in CEPOL EU training by organising courses in the Garda college for participants from EU member states to attend. These include training programmes on language development, human rights, community policing, confiscation of assets and counterfeit medicines. The expertise of members of An Garda Síochana has proven beneficial to CEPOL programmes through their involvement in training programmes in other member states on a wide variety of policing topics including management, public order and crowd management, issues regarding the Schengen Agreement, counterfeit goods, organised crime and drugs. In more recent times, CEPOL has provided training programmes to address emerging policing and security issues such as fundamentalism and immigration. As a result, CEPOL has been successful in developing the talents of gardaí and their ability to network and co-operate with other European counterparts. As we can see from the almost daily terrorist attacks that have begun to define the world we live in, terrorism and organised crime are constantly changing forms and means. The sharing of good practice, prevention techniques and use of modern tools to address these threats is vital in our efforts to protect citizens and combat crime.

The new CEPOL regulation, which replaced the 2005 council decision, was introduced to enhance CEPOL's operational mandate and reforms its governance in line with general principles laid down in the Lisbon treaty. The general aim of the regulation is to improve EU security through the implementation by CEPOL of a new training approach for EU law enforcement officers consistent with the evolving priorities for operational law enforcement co-operation. Moreover, the regulation has widened the target group of law enforcement officials that CEPOL should serve as well as expanding its research function and association with relevant bodies. The regulation was drafted on the basis of the European Commission’s communication on the law enforcement training scheme, known as LETS. The LETS aims to make the EU’s response to common security challenges more effective, to raise the standard of policing across the EU and to stimulate the development of a common law enforcement culture as a means of enhancing mutual trust and co-operation. In this regard, the regulation identifies and addresses gaps in existing law enforcement training on cross-border matters by supporting and, where appropriate, co-ordinating the delivery of training by European and national centres of excellence. The regulation provides CEPOL with the appropriate legal mandate and necessary resources to implement the training effort envisaged in the communication.

In addition, the scope of CEPOL’s mandate is broadened so that it can support, develop, deliver and co-ordinate learning activities for law enforcement officials of all ranks and not only police officers of senior rank, as is the case under the old CEPOL decision, as well as to officers of customs and of other relevant services dealing with cross-border issues. This means that if we opt in, our customs officials will also be able to benefit from the training provided. Perhaps equally as valuable, the regulation ensures that the agency remains network-based, bringing together the network of training institutes of the member states for the law enforcement officials and liaising with a single national unit in each member state. This, as I am sure Deputies will appreciate, will allow An Garda Síochána to continue to build networks of counterparts in other EU jurisdictions which can be used for other operational intelligence sharing outside the CEPOL framework.

Furthermore, the core objectives of CEPOL were updated and clarified so that the agency may improve awareness and knowledge of international and EU instruments and the institutions, agencies and bodies of the EU. It will now also encourage the development of regional and bilateral co-operation among the member states and address specific criminal or policing thematic areas where training at EU level can add value, in addition to the national level.

In summary, the regulation expands and provides clarity on the role of CEPOL and improves governance in the management, accountability and procedures for the CEPOL secretariat and the member states involved in police training. For all of these reasons, I hope Deputies can agree that Ireland’s participation in the regulation will be of tremendous value to An Garda Síochána and our customs service. It will also send a clear message that Ireland continues to support CEPOL and values the service it provides.

As the regulation came into effect on 1 July 2016, it is important to signal our desire to participate as soon as possible to ensure that An Garda Síochána continues to be part of the European Union Agency for Law Enforcement Training, CEPOL, and benefits from the service it provides.

Deputies will be mindful of the importance of training for our law enforcement agencies. The Garda Inspectorate, in its report on the future of policing in Ireland from 2007, indicated that, historically, police services have dedicated substantial resources to recruit training but did not invest appropriately in the long-term professional development of personnel. The recently published Garda Síochána Modernisation and Renewal Programme 2016-2021 identifies training and development as a key requirement in developing a modern, efficient police service. It stresses that training is critical to the success of that modernisation programme and CEPOL can continue to provide a valuable service in this regard.

I strongly believe continued participation in CEPOL will provide huge benefit to An Garda Síochána and the Customs at no cost to the Irish Exchequer. Put simply, I can see no reason Ireland would not wish to participate in this regulation. It is clear, from all the reasons I have presented, that CEPOL delivers tangible benefits to our law enforcement agencies and, as such, I invite Deputies to support the motion before them. In so doing, Members will allow our police service to continue to benefit from the invaluable training provided by CEPOL and to learn from and engage with other European partners to assist in the fight against crime.

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