Jim O'Keeffe (Cork South West, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 180: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the requests for co-operation which have been received from the Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland; the details of those requests and the responses given. [33588/05]

Michael McDowell (Dublin South East, Progressive Democrats)
Link to this: Individually | In context

I refer the Deputy to my reply to Question No. 513 of 2 November 2005. As the Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland is neither a police service nor falls within the scope of international mutual assistance agreements, these methods of providing assistance to and exchanging information with other jurisdictions are not available. However, subject to certain criteria, the Foreign Tribunals Evidence Act 1856 provides a mechanism for the provision of assistance in respect of civil proceedings. The Deputy will appreciate why it is generally the practice to regard requests for assistance of the kind referred to as confidential.