I propose to take Questions Nos. 85 to 89, inclusive, together.
I would refer the Deputy to my reply to Question No. 23 (and related Questions) of 16 September 2016 which dealt at some length with issues arising in this regard. I would reiterate for the Deputy that these are entirely operational matters for the Garda Authorities, to be carried out in accordance with their functions as set out in the Garda Síochána Acts, and neither I nor my Department would be involved in such arrangements.
As I have set out previously to the House, it is the advice of the Garda Authorities that assistance from police services from other jurisdictions is a recognised and necessary tactic for managing circumstances where persons from outside the jurisdiction who are unknown to local police may seek to foment or engage in violent protest actions here. Any such arrangements are a matter for operational decisions made between the police services involved and must, of course, operate in accordance with the law.
I would emphasise the point I made previously that there can be no question of any person being permitted to engage in criminal activities here in any circumstances. Any evidence of criminality would be pursued fully the Garda Authorities. There is no question of a police officer from outside the jurisdiction exercising police powers here - by that is meant that an officer from a police service other than An Garda Síochána cannot exercise the powers available to members of An Garda Síochána in respect of fulfilling the functions for which they have responsibility under the Garda Síochána Acts.