Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 22 June 2022
159. Deputy Neasa Hourigan asked the Minister for Justice further to Parliamentary Question No. 1348 of June 14 2022, when she expects the appropriate mechanism to facilitate cooperation to be in place; if she will that ensure victims and their families are informed of progress beforehand directly by her Department; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33036/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Deputy refers to Operation Denton, which is an ongoing UK independent analytical review into the activities of what was known as the Glenanne Gang in Northern Ireland.
Operation Denton forms part of the work of the Kenova Investigation Team with regard to a series of Northern Ireland legacy cases.
An Garda Síochána is committed to cooperating to the greatest extent possible with Kenova and already has in place a High Level Agreement which supports mutual co-operation and exchange of information with the Operation Kenova Investigation Team in the context of criminal investigations. The Historical Investigation Coordination Unit within An Garda Síochána continues to support this work.
Operation Denton is a distinct strand in the work of Kenova, an analytical review rather than a criminal investigation and, in the circumstances, it was necessary to obtain the advices of the Office of the Attorney General with regard to the available legal measures to facilitate cooperation. The Deputy will appreciate that the necessary information-sharing framework must be in place to facilitate cooperation between An Garda Síochána and Operation Denton in order to protect any sensitive data being transferred.
As I previously advised the Deputy, following receipt of advices from the Attorney General, work is nearing completion in my Department on an appropriate mechanism to facilitate this cooperation and Government approval was received on 21 June in this regard. It is expected that the mechanism will be in place in the very near future.
Officials of this Department and the Department of Foreign Affairs have been engaging with KENOVA and victims groups with regard to this matter.
