Un-used legislation allowing further international cooperation in the fight against crime, must be utilised – Madigan

Fine Gael TD for Dublin Rathdown, Josepha Madigan, has called for unused legislation to allow greater international cooperation in the fight against crime, to be utilised.

“The Criminal Justice Joint Investigation Teams Act has been on the legislative books here since 2004, but unfortunately has never been used. Now is the time to change that, especially considering the recent barbaric actions carried out in Ireland by international drug cartels.

“The Act allows the Garda Commissioner to request another EU country to establish a Joint Investigation Team (JIT) to tackle issues like organised crime, drug trafficking, terrorism and money laundering. A JIT is a specialised team consisting of judges, prosecutors and law enforcement authorities.

“This Act and the use of a JIT could assist in tackling drug cartels which operate in Ireland, but are in many cases run from abroad, by Irish criminals now resident in another EU State.

“We have to be creative when tackling crime and make use of a host of legislation and international contacts with police everywhere. We have already taken many steps in this area. There is cooperation with Interpol and we have used other tools like International arrest warrants. Just last week the Tánaiste met with a number of her European colleagues from Spain, Belgium and the Netherlands, on the margins of the Justice and Home Affairs Council to discuss the current organised crime situation in Ireland and the international dimension. JITs are yet another tool that I believe should be utilised.

“Last year 120 JIT were convened internationally. However, despite having the legislation on our books, Ireland did not participate. This needs to change.

“Making use of the Joint Investigation Teams Act could make a real difference in tackling drug cartels and I am urging the Garda Commissioner to examine this as a matter of urgency.”