McEntee in Abu Dhabi to sign bilateral treaties with UAE

Minister for Justice Helen McEntee is in Abu Dhabi to sign bilateral treaties with the United Arab Emirates on extradition and mutual legal assistance.

The minister believes that two agreements, which secured Government approval last Friday, will further improve the effectiveness of co-operation between Ireland and the UAE in fighting crime and facilitating extradition.

Minister McEntee opened negotiations with the UAE last year, which include intensive engagements with her counterpart the Emirati Minister of Justice Abdullah bin Sultan bin Awad Al Nuaimi.

The Government said it is taking all necessary steps to dismantle organised crime and believes the agreement of these bilateral treaties will be of significant support in tackling organised crime and transnational drug-trafficking gangs.

Speaking to reporters at Government Buildings on Friday evening, Minister McEntee said the treaties will target any criminal who is hiding or thinks that they can hide in the UAE.

"This will apply to any criminal who is in the UAE," she said.

"Obviously the Kinahan family and organisation have been based there for a number of years, so without getting into specifics, this will allow An Garda Síochána, following a request from the DPP for charges to be brought, to go to the courts to seek a warrant to then bring that to the UAE authorities and hopefully get extraditions."