James Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The Deputy makes some important and timely points. I assure the House that An Garda Síochána and its partners in Northern Ireland and the UK will continue to work closely together to tackle the scourge of dissident paramilitary actions. The close co-operation between police services on both sides of the Border has been a key element of policing for some time and Commissioner Harris and Chief Constable Simon Byrne are in regular contact in this regard. The Minister for Justice and Equality is working to ensure the existing excellent level of co-operation between An Garda Síochána and the PSNI is not undermined by Brexit.

It is recognized that Brexit may provide significant opportunities for subversives in Northern Ireland to increase their activities and take advantage of the situation. As the UK’s Intelligence and Security Committee notes, dissident republicans are actively seeking recruitment of young people, with the report noting that low socioeconomic areas proved to be fertile recruiting ground. The Independent Reporting Commission has highlighted in its report that countering dissidents requires a twin-track approach comprising a policing and justice response side-by-side with a comprehensive socioeconomic response addressing the systemic issues facing communities where the paramilitaries operate. The Minister subscribes to this view and supports the valuable work of the commission.

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