The Minister for Justice Mr O'Donoghue is to sign a treaty in Washington later this month to copper-fasten assistance on criminal matters between Ireland and the US. The Secretary of State Ms Madeleine Albright will sign for the US.
The bilateral treaty will allow for further assistance between the two countries, similar to the joint operation by the Garda and the FBI related to alleged counterfeit aircraft spare parts in Shannon last October. Mr O'Donoghue said the treaty would bring to a higher plane the already close co-operation which exists between both countries in the fight against crime. According to a Department of Justice statement, it will allow the two countries to set out and provide for their needs and requirements in more details than is presently possible.