Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)
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Question 63: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs his views on the latest report of the Policing Oversight Commissioner in Northern Ireland; if he shares the Commissioner's concern regarding the proposed primacy of MI5 in certain security matters in Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25263/06]

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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The 16th report of the Policing Oversight Commissioner issued earlier this month was an encouraging reminder of the progress that has been made in the reform of policing in Northern Ireland. Some 124 of the 175 Patten recommendations have been fully implemented. Most importantly, the primary institutions of policing — the Policing Board, the PSNI and the Police Ombudsman — are found to have largely accomplished the implementation of Patten. Of the issues that remain to be resolved, the most important is the issue of full community and political support for the Police.

Referring to the decision of the British Government to transfer primacy for national security matters to MI5 from 2007, the Oversight Commissioner expresses concern that this might diminish the robust accountability mechanisms currently in place and might affect the ability of the Police Service to combat organised crime effectively.

These concerns are shared by the Government. Discussions have taken place between my officials and their British counterparts with a view to ensuring that adequate accountability mechanisms remain in place, and that the Police Ombudsman continues to have jurisdiction over the actions of police officers seconded to MI5. Protocols are currently being agreed between the office of the Ombudsman and the security service to facilitate this.

I also raised this issue with the Secretary of State, Peter Hain MP at the meeting of the British-Irish Inter-Governmental Conference in May. The British Government indicated that it is prepared to discuss further with the political parties in Northern Ireland and with the Irish Government the exact details as to how the new arrangements will work in practice.

The broader issue of how the new arrangements will work in the context of the devolution of Policing and Justice will be a matter requiring discussion involving all of the political parties in Northern Ireland.