Cross-border force to tackle crime established

A new joint taskforce established to help tackle organised crime on both sides of the border, including crime linked to paramilitarism, has been established.

Expected to hold its first meeting next month, ministers from both the Republic and Northern Ireland met at Farmleigh in Dublin earlier to day to discuss what the responsibilities of the new Joint Agency Taskforce.

The agreement follows that reached during negotiations in Belfast last month, and the Garda Commissioner and the PSNI's Chief Constable also took part in the talks.

Earlier this year the Dáil debated a new Bill to set up a special Cross Border crime agency. The new agency, proposed by Cavan-Monaghan TD Brendan Smith would draw together police forces, Revenue and environmental agencies from both sides of the border to help tackle fuel laundering and cigarette smuggling.

The Bill was introduced following the murder of two Gardai in the region in recent years and comes in the wake of publication of the PSNI/MI5 report, which confirmed the continued existence of the Provisional IRA and concluded that its members were involved in criminality.

Deputy Smith Bill also builds on the outline of the recent “Fresh Start” agreement in Northern Ireland and recommendations of the British Irish Parliamentary Council report on the issue.