Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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As the Deputy is aware, the European Public Prosecutors Office (EPPO) was established under the EU's enhanced cooperation mechanism to investigate and prosecute crimes against the financial interest of the European Union.

These crimes are as set out in Directive (EU) 2017/1371 of the European Parliament and of the Council on the fight against fraud to the Union’s financial interests by means of criminal law, otherwise known as the PIF Directive.

Ireland has transposed the PIF Directive and the full suite of measures to investigate and prosecute PIF offences are available to Irish authorities under our domestic structures.

While Ireland did not participate in the enhanced cooperation measure that established the EPPO and is, consequently, not bound by it, we do recognise the important work it undertakes and we are fully committed to cooperating with the EPPO to the greatest extent possible. 

To that end, we are examining the legislative changes that would be required to our mutual legal assistance regime to allow for requests to be received directly from the EPPO and actioned. Legislative proposals in this regard will be brought forward imminently.

In addition to this work, an Inter-Agency Working Group is being established to identify and consider all of the issues involved were Ireland to seek to join the EPPO.