British use of the Jurisdiction Act
Kennedy asks whether Britain had agreed to use the Act before the Ryan announcement. Lenihan says preliminary discussions between the two Attorneys General were under way to identify suitable cases, but does not confirm an agreement; Barry notes that the Act has long been in force, and the exchange becomes disorderly.
Arising from the Minister's reply to a previous question from me, has there been any agreement with the British authorities to operate the Criminal Law (Jurisdiction) Act, prior to today's decision on the Ryan affair, or will it be raised tomorrow for the first time?
Comment on this
As I have said, I have raised this issue on several occasions at recent meetings. It was embodied in the communique of the last few meetings. Both the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland and I have had discussions on the matter and the Attorney General here has had discussions and talks in that regard with his counterpart in Britain. As we are all aware, the Attorney General has referred specifically to it in the context of the Patrick Ryan case as a possible avenue of meeting the problem, in that it is quite clear that some of the offences with which Patrick Ryan is charged could be appropriately dealt with under the Criminal Law (Jurisdiction) Act if we got the required co-operation through evidence from British sources. The Attorney General has said that in the second last and last paragraphs of the report which has been presented to the House.
Comment on this
I asked the Minister if he has agreement from the British authorities, prior to today's announcement, that they will operate the Criminal Law (Jurisdiction) Act. Was there agreement and co-operation on the operation of that Act prior to today's announcement?
Comment on this
As of yesterday, before the announcement, both parties — the Attorney General's office in London and the Attorney General's office here — were discussing ways and means of ascertaining suitable type cases for operation under the Criminal Law (Jurisdiction) Act, in other words, setting what parameters would be decided and what type of case could be decided appropriately within that. Those preliminary talks are under way as a result of instructions from both the last Conference and the previous one. Already preliminary talks have taken place along these lines, prior to the specific case of Patrick Ryan.
Comment on this
Is it not true that the Criminal Law (Jurisdiction) Act, 1976, has been in operation for eight years, admittedly not as frequently as I would like?
