Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 1 February 2005
290 Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform his plans to create mechanisms for all-Ireland co-operation in his area of responsibility during the lifetime of the 29th Dáil. [2830/05]
View answerIn each of the last two years, my Department and the Northern Ireland Office have facilitated the organisation of a joint Garda-PSNI conference to enhance cross-Border co-operation in tackling organised crime. At last year's conference in September, the Garda and the PSNI launched the first joint threat assessment on cross-Border organised crime. Since then, the two police forces have begun the task of developing the strategic response to this threat. It is hoped that the conference will become an annual event and my Department and the Northern Ireland Office have already been in contact in recent weeks with a view to facilitating a third conference in 2005.
On 29 April 2002, the Irish and British Governments signed an agreement on police co-operation providing a framework for the implementation of certain Patten recommendations enhanced police co-operation. The implementation of Articles 1 — lateral entry — and 2 — secondments with police powers — of the agreement required legislative change. The Garda Síochána (Police Co-operation) Act 2003 was enacted to provide the legal basis for secondments and permanent appointments. The Act provides that members of the Garda and the PSNI will be eligible to apply for certain posts in the other police service and for the secondment of members of each police service to the other police service with full powers for periods not exceeding three years.
The Garda and the PSNI have drafted protocols in accordance with Article 3 of the intergovernmental agreement setting out the detail of the operation of both personnel exchanges and secondments. It is expected that the Garda Commissioner and the Chief Constable will sign these protocols in the coming weeks. This will enable the immediate implementation of personnel exchanges and secondments between the two police forces. Work is ongoing to make the necessary preparations to allow members of each police service to apply for certain posts in the other police service.
Work is also ongoing to implement other provisions of the intergovernmental agreement. In August 2001, the directors general of the Irish Prison Service and the Northern Ireland Prison Service adopted a memorandum of understanding for accreditation of prisoner programmes through the establishment of a joint, all-island accreditation panel. Ongoing contact is being maintained between the two services on the purpose, terms of reference, responsibilities, composition, appointment procedures and working arrangements for establishment of the panel.
No formal mechanisms for all-Ireland co-operation are planned in the data protection area. However, the Garda Commissioner has regular meetings with the UK information commissioner and the assistant commissioner in Northern Ireland and they have constructive dialogue on matters of mutual interest including cross-Border data protection issues. In light of new management structures and personnel in the Northern Ireland forensic laboratory, meetings to discuss methods of co-operation are in place.
The Good Friday Agreement provided for a "wide-ranging review of criminal justice (other than policing and those aspects of the system relating to the emergency legislation) to be carried out by the British Government through a mechanism with an independent element, in consultation with the political parties and others". A review of the criminal justice system in Northern Ireland was carried out on foot of this commitment and published in March 2000. The review contains a substantial number of recommendations on, inter alia, co-operation between the British and Irish Governments and among the relevant agencies North and South on criminal justice matters with a view to the enhancement of existing areas of co-operation and the development of new areas. Officials from the Northern Ireland Office and my Department are working towards a proposed intergovernmental agreement on co-operation in criminal justice matters which will be signed in due course.
