Border Security In Focus

The Irish Government must do more on cross-border security measures.

There has been a call for action by the Northern Ireland Affairs Committee which said co-operation between the two countries on policing and justice matters had never been closer, but "needed to get even closer", especially as parts of Co Fermanagh are well known as dangerous border territory - plagued by dissident republican activities.

In addition, with a further gang-related murder in Dublin overnight, the committee warned that co-operation in the fight against organised crime must also continue to strengthen.

This will be especially true as and when policing and justice are devolved to Stormont - an item discussed at Downing Street yesterday by the First and Deputy First Ministers with PM Gordon Brown.

The committee also said that funding to the Police Service of Northern Ireland needed to continue to be fully met to best defeat the continuing threat of dissident republican violence.

Financial arrangements for the devolution of policing to the Assembly was also on the agenda at No 10 yesterday, as the Exchequer is targeted for costs in the change-over.

In a wide-ranging report the committee also urged a review of sentencing guidelines for serious organised criminals to address perceptions that organised criminals were not receiving strong enough punishment.

At the same time the range of offences which could be tried on either side of the border should be extended to include, where possible, human trafficking, sex offenders, money laundering and some fraud, it said.

The UK and Irish Governments should also consider creating an effective register of sex offenders across the island of Ireland, it said.

The committee took evidence in London and on both sides of the border over a number of months.

Committee Chairman Sir Patrick Cormack said: "We were greatly encouraged by the level of co-operation and the clearly genuine desire to improve it displayed in all our meetings on both sides of the border.

"However it is crucially important that we build on this co-operation and do not take it for granted."

The MPs urged Northern Ireland Security Minister Paul Goggins to open discussions as soon as practicable with his Dublin counterpart on whether 'hot pursuit' and surveillance provisions should be put in place along the border as provided for under the 1985 Schengen Convention.

It would allow the police on either side of the border to pursue criminals across the border rather than having to stop and call up their opposite numbers.

The UK government has not signed up to Schengen and the Irish Government has specifically opted out of Article 41 which allows for such cross-border pursuit.

The report also suggested there was clearly a potential for joint investigation teams involving PSNI and Garda officers in investigating major cross-border incidents that required long-term focus.

In conclusion the report said the border between north and south "provided considerable opportunities for the highly experienced and inventive organised criminal gangs, frequently arisen from paramilitary groupings, that have blighted Northern Ireland's life for several decades".

(BMcC/NS)