16. Letter from the Department of
Justice, Equality and Law Reform
I am directed by the Minister for Justice, Equality
and Law Reform, Mr Michael McDowell TD to refer to your letter
dated 2nd November 2005 requesting submissions in relation to
organised crime in Northern Ireland.
The Minister has asked me to state that, while
he has no specific comments to make in relation to the nature
or impact of organised crime in Northern Ireland, and the measures
taken to combat such crime, he is aware that there is a high level
of co-operation between law enforcement agencies North and South
of the border in the fight against organised crime. It is clear
that criminal organisations seek to exploit the border to their
advantage in their efforts to obtain money and it is therefore
incumbent upon law enforcement agencies, and on the bodies and
agencies that support them in their work, to co-operate fully
in the fight against organised crime.
A number of very successful joint operations
have been undertaken in recent times between agencies form both
sides of the border. These operations have led to prosecutions
in the Courts resulting in the forfeiture of assets and the breaking
up of a number of organised crime gangs involved in illegal cross
border activity. In particular, co-operation between the Assets
Recovery Agency in the North and the Criminal Assets Bureau in
the South has proven to be very effective. To ensure that there
are no legislative obstacles to such co-operation, the Irish Government
enacted legislation in March 2005 to allow the Criminal Assets
Bureau to cooperate formally with similar asset recovery agencies
abroad including the Assets Recovery Agency. The amendment enacted
provides that the Criminal Assets Bureau can engage in "co-operation
with any authority with functions related to the recovery of proceeds
of crime".
The Minister has also asked me to say that he
is pleased to note that the third seminar on cross border co-operation
on organised crime took place in Dublin in October. This seminar
was attended by representatives of law enforcement agencies from
both sides of the border. Seminars such as this provide an opportunity
for law enforcement agencies and civil servants from both jurisdictions
to exchange information and examples of best practice and help
enhance the shared understanding of cross border organised crime.
The results of such undertakings are undoubtedly reflected in
the successes of actions against organised crime gangs.
The Minister looks forward to future successes
arising from the continued co-operation between law enforcement
agencies from both sides of the border in the fight against organised
crime.
Private Secretary
20 December 2005
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