Trilateral meeting launches cross-border crime taskforce

A new cross-border taskforce to tackle paramilitarism and organised crime has been announced following a major inter-governmental meeting in Dublin.

Members of the UK and Irish governments, as well as representatives of the Northern Ireland Executive, met in Dublin to take forward a commitment in the A Fresh Start agreement between Northern Ireland political parties.

The taskforce will bring together law enforcement agencies from across the island, led by senior representatives from An Garda Síochána and the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) as well as the Revenue Commissioners and HMRC.

It is expected to meet for the first time next month and will report to justice ministers in Ireland and Northern Ireland at regular meetings under the Intergovernmental Agreement on Co-operation on Criminal Justice Matters.

Northern Ireland’s Justice Minister David Ford said: “I welcome the establishment of this new body and the commitment from all involved to build on the work we have already been doing and step up the momentum in the fight against paramiltarism and organised crime.

“Co-operation between the two jurisdictions on law enforcement has always been good. This new taskforce will see existing work intensified and enhanced. The structures created will provide a basis for more formalised arrangements between all law enforcement agencies, with the sharing of resources and information to tackle mobile organised crime groups.”

He added: “My Department will continue to work closely with our partners in the Department of Justice and Equality on a range of criminal justice matters.

“Minister Frances Fitzgerald and I will support and develop opportunities for further co-operation to ensure the best use of expertise and resources in both jurisdictions. There is no place for paramilitarism anywhere on this island: we will continue to work together to put in place robust measures to tackle this scourge on society.”