Border crackdown on paedophiles

MEASURES to stop paedophiles using the border to escape detection are to be drawn up in a joint crackdown by the Dublin and Belfast governments.

The office of the Minister for Children here and the Department of Health in the North are to spearhead the formation of a cross-border group of officials to step up co-operation between the two jurisdictions. The departments of justice, child protection agencies and social services will also be involved in the plan which aims to improve the exchange of information between the respective police forces for the purposes of vetting candidates for employment with children and pursuing prosecutions against offenders.

An all-island child protection awareness campaign will be one of the first projects to be undertaken. The move was announced by Minister for Children Brendan Smith following a meeting of the North South Ministerial Council in Dundalk.

The council also agreed to undertake a number of other public service and safety initiatives, including progressing efforts to create a joint data base of motoring offenders so that driving disqualifications and penalty points imposed in either jurisdiction would be recognised in the other. The delegations also discussed cross-border banking and pension issues with a view to easing the transfer of money and payments between the two jurisdictions for personal and commercial transactions.

An assessment of options for the development of the Dublin-Belfast rail service is also to be carried out. The council is hoping to increase the frequency of trains on the line and reduce travel times between the two cities.