STRONGER TRANS-EUROPEAN POLICE COOPERATION WILL HELP STOP IRISH GANGLAND CRIME - KENNY

Posted on October 24, 2012 11:02 AM   |   Permanent Link   

Criminal intelligence analysis has been recognized by law enforcement as a useful support tool for over twenty-five years and is successfully used within the international community. While there are many definitions of Criminal Intelligence Analysis in use throughout the world, the one definition agreed in June 1992 by an international group of twelve European INTERPOL member countries and subsequently adopted by other countries is as follows:

"The identification of and provision of insight into the relationship between crime data and other potentially relevant data with a view to police and judicial practice."

Europol (short for European Police Office) is the European Union's criminal intelligence agency. Europol has been established since 1995 under the Europol Convention. However, owing to difficulties with amending Conventions, which require lengthy ratification by Member States, it was agreed to replace that Convention with an EU Council Decision. The primary purpose of the Europol Bill 2012 is to give effect to a 2009 EU Council Decision establishing Europol.

In 2008, the Houses of the Oireachtas approved the adoption by the State of the Council Decision. The previous Convention was given force of law in the State through the Europol Act 1997. This Bill, when it is enacted, will repeal and replace that Act. Unlike a Convention, however, a Council Decision requires that each and every aspect of the instrument with domestic impact must be provided for in legislation. For this reason, this Bill is significantly more detailed than the Europol Act 1997.

Europol's activities can be broadly categorised as information management on the one hand and semi-operational tasks on the other. Europol interacts with Member States through national units which each state must establish. The national unit in Ireland is a unit within An Garda Síochána.

While incorporating the provisions of the Convention and its Protocols, the Council Decision also introduces some new features to Europol. These new features include an extension to Europol's mandate. Organised crime was originally the sole focus of Europol's activities. The Council Decision largely reflects the provisions of the Convention. However, there are some differences, primarily the extension in Europol's mandate. Under the Convention, organised crime was the sole focus of Europol activities. However, the Council Decision removes the requirement that an organised criminal structure must be involved before Europol can act. It will now be sufficient for the crime concerned to be a serious offence involving two or more Member States. These offences include the main transnational crimes such as drug trafficking, terrorism, money laundering and also include murder and kidnapping.

Two months ago we saw the drug related killing of Alan Ryan in Clongriffin in my Dublin North East constituency. This cold blooded killing was carried out in broad day light in front of young children who are still traumatised by what they saw.

I welcome these changes to the structures of Europol, as it makes it easier for Europol to take action against serious crime within the European Union, such as drug trafficking, terrorism, money laundering, murder and kidnapping. We are all aware that crimes like this are becoming more prominent in society, and they need to be tackled. In the Irish context we have seen in the past decade how Irish drug lords are running their operations from Spain and from The Netherlands as well. We have also seen how subversive organisations have attempted to smuggle weapons into the European Union.

This new Bill will help law enforcement agencies to gather intelligence on these sorts of activities and to work together to break down these criminal and subversive operations across the borders of the EU Member States that will save lives and ensure the wellbeing of EU citizens, whether they are in Ireland or elsewhere.