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

I thank Senators for their considered views, support for the motion and questions on the issues raised.

Senator Diarmuid Wilson was very supportive of the motion and CEPOL, for which I thank him.

Senator Niall Ó Donnghaile raised a number of issues, including Brexit, which was also mentioned by Senator Martin Conway and others. Obviously, its impact is not yet known. We will be quite anxious for cross-Border co-operation between the PSNI and An Garda Síochána to continue. This will not be determined until negotiations start after the United Kingdom triggers the necessary mechanism.Again, as the Senator said, it is an area unknown to us, but the Government is anxious for the co-operation to be maintained. As is known, it is very good at present. The Senator mentioned important issues such as human trafficking, drugs and so forth. Other Senators, including Senator Martin Conway, mentioned the fact that crime did not respect borders. It is important, therefore, that we have co-operation.

I emphasise that CEPOL is not a harmonisation instrument. There will be no sharing of operational information. There is no transfer of sovereignty or powers in any way. It relates to training and learning opportunities in order that members of An Garda Síochána can benefit and learn from the expertise of police services in other jurisdictions and vice versa. We also have information to impart. We have a very good police service which is improving all the time. As mentioned by Senator Ivana Bacik and others, there is a great deal of oversight of An Garda Síochána by the newly established Policing Authority, the Garda Inspectorate, the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission, GSOC, and the excellent justice committee that is being formed. In addition to this oversight, there is a lot of support for An Garda Síochána.

I join Senator Ivana Bacik in referring to the tragedy that took place in Nice and conveying our sympathy to the people who have been bereaved, as well as to those who suffered and are still suffering. As Senator Martin Conway said, the nature of these activities is changing all the time and police services across Europe must keep up to date with what might happen.

Senator Martin Conway referred to the ICT programme. Additional funding has been provided by the Government and the programme is being rolled out. It is referenced in the modernisation and renewal programme of An Garda Síochána, on which we will be happy to provide further information for the Senator, if required.

Senator Ivana Bacik mentioned the delay. Obviously, many things were delayed until the Government was formed. Many issues could not be progressed. We are now progressing this matter with the support of Senators and will progress it further in the future.

Senators Ivana Bacik and Niall Ó Donnghaile mentioned human rights. Both Senators were right to stress their importance. In the past few weeks I attended the Fundamental Rights Forum held by the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights in Vienna on Europe and empowering rights. I also addressed the United Nations General Assembly in New York last week on human rights. We are very conscious of the need to keep this issue at the forefront. I thank both Senators for their comments on this important topic and invite them to continue mentioning it. We must maintain the importance of human rights, continue to develop our understanding of them and learn what they mean when we talk about them.

The European police college was established in September 2005 and is dedicated to providing training and learning opportunities for law enforcement officers on issues vital to the security of the European Union. It is a cost-effective means of upskilling members of An Garda Síochána and Customs officials in critical policing areas in times of restricted budgets. It provides a diversity of training courses in areas where there might not be a national skills base such as dismantling illicit laboratories, fundamentalism and so forth. It provides a European and international context for the understanding and learning of new crime trends, which are key in an increasingly transnational crime environment. The training courses involve participants from many European jurisdictions which provides opportunities to network and build professional contacts which are invaluable as member states operate in an increasingly transnational context. They also provide opportunities to examine best practice in other European jurisdictions, thus providing a useful resource in policy development at home.

I invite Senators to support the motion in order that we can continue this excellent work at European level.