Joe McHugh (Donegal North East, Fine Gael)
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To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality if he will update Dáil Éireann on cooperation between An Garda Síochána, the PSNI and MI-5, with specific reference to cooperation between An Garda Síochána Superintendents and their Northern Ireland equivalents; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11419/13]

Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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The Deputy will be aware that the Garda Commissioner and the Chief Constable of the PSNI and their respective forces have responsibility for operational policing co-operation. There is in place a joint Cross Border Policing Strategy which the two police forces operate. This strategy covers the range of policing areas of mutual interest to the two forces and the co-operation activities which take place under the strategy are not rank specific in respect of either force.

The Garda Síochána maintains a close working relationship with the police and security services in Northern Ireland and Great Britain and, indeed, with their counterparts in other EU and third countries in respect of ongoing, international efforts to counter terrorism. I am sure the Deputy will understand that it would not be appropriate, for sound reasons of security, to elaborate in any detail on what might be entailed in the Garda Authorities' relationship with other security and intelligence services.