Catherine Ardagh

Addressing the event in Abu Dhabi, Ms Ardagh said that upholding the multilateral system through international organisations such as the United Nations was essential if countries were to effectively dismantle criminal organisations who were leveraging new technologies and operating across multiple borders.

“At a time when the global rules-based order faces unprecedented pressures, and criminal networks are increasingly leveraging technology and artificial intelligence to expand their reach, conceal illicit profits and penetrate legitimate economies, it has never been more important for us to work together in confronting these shared challenges.”

The Ms Ardagh added: “Preventing crime cannot be achieved through enforcement alone. It must be supported by community engagement, evidence-based policymaking and strong institutions working together.”

The Minister highlighted that Ireland is accelerating efforts to meet these objectives through new community safety partnerships, improving access to justice for all and improving data collection and analysis to better protect people from evolving forms of crime.

The United Nations Congress on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice is the world’s largest and most diverse gathering of policy-makers, practitioners, academia, intergovernmental organisations and civil society in the field of crime prevention and criminal justice. The Congresses have been held every five years since 1955 in different parts of the world, dealing with a wide range of topics.

The meeting is an opportunity to strengthen cooperation efforts and share good practices. Hosted by the government of the United Arab Emirates, Ms Ardagh used it as an opportunity to highlight the recent collaboration between both states in combatting crime.

Ms Ardagh said: “The recent extradition agreement between Ireland and the UAE reflects the steadfast commitment of both countries to the rule of law and fulfilling the aims of this Congress, to accelerate crime prevention, criminal justice and the rule of law. It also demonstrates the effectiveness of countries working together to address these shared challenges.”

Reflecting on the increasing complexity of crime, Ms Ardagh said that An Garda Síochána’s effectiveness has always been grounded in the trust, confidence and support it has from the communities it serves. However, this same police service was now adapting to modern challenges, including rising cybercrime by developing specialist skills and adopting new technologies such as body worn cameras, biometric recognition technologies and drones to detect and prevent crime.