Justice Minister Alan Shatter
An annual cross-border summit between An Garda Siochana and the PSNI to deal with co-operations on crime will be held without the two justice ministers for the first time tomorrow.
The Minister for Justice has traditionally attended the conference over the course of the last decade as it alternated between various venues north and south of the Border.
However, Alan Shatter has indicated that he will not attend this year’s event, which takes place in Dundalk tomorrow and Thursday.
His Northern Irish counterpart, David Forde, has also decided to opt out according to a report in today’s Irish Independent.
Mr Shatter said in a statement to the media that given the particular operational emphasis of this year’s conference, it would be more appropriate for the Garda Commissioner and the PSNI Chief Constable to take the lead.
He added that the commissioner, the chief constable and the two ministers would have a separate meeting in the coming weeks.
The decision by Minister Shatter not to attend is surprising, however, given much of the focus is expected to concentrate on cross-border investigations into serious crime, including the murder of Detective Garda Adrian Donohoe last January.
Other items on the agenda include cyber crime, border smuggling of fuel and cigarettes and tiger kidnappings.
- Source: Justice Ministers opt out of cross-border police summit (Belfast Telegraph)
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