Advancement of North-South Criminal Justice Cooperation

Ministers Naomi Long MLA and Jim O’Callaghan TD met in Dublin for the latest Ministerial meeting held under the auspices of the Intergovernmental Agreement on Co-operation on Criminal Justice Matters.

The Ministers reviewed progress across established areas of North-South cooperation, including Youth Justice, Victims’ Support, Public Protection, Forensic Science, Criminal Justice and Social Diversity. The Ministers welcomed the continued engagement by officials and agencies on both sides of the border and reaffirmed their shared commitment to addressing cross-jurisdictional challenges collaboratively.

Ministers received an overview of the Stable Lives, Safer Streets initiative — a cross-border, policy-led research partnership supported by €3.4 million in funding through the North-South Research Programme. The initiative is being delivered by the REPPP project at the University of Limerick, Queen’s University Belfast, and the Centre for Effective Services. Its aim is to provide a robust evidence base for tackling youth crime, criminal exploitation, and community safety issues across both jurisdictions. Projects under way include research on criminal exploitation of children by organised crime gangs, timely provision of services for children with complex needs and understanding what makes children vulnerable to crime.