NEWS FROM THE CELTIC LEAGUE
INTERPOL ACCOUNTS UNDER SCRUTINY
The Celtic League has sought clarification from the British and Irish governments about their involvement with the International Criminal Police Organisation (ICPO).
Interpol as it is popularly known has often been the centre of controversy and most recently the organisation was criticised in a BBC documentary by awarding winning journalist John Sweeney for its involvement in a case relating to two Belarusian men who were subsequently executed by the totalitarian State.
The League is pressing the UK and Irish about the funding, governance and oversight of the international police body (see below).
The Minister for Justice Equality and Law Reform
Mr Alan Shatter TD
51 St Stephen's Green
Dublin 2
Ireland
09:02:13
Dear Minister Shatter,
1) Can I ask what contribution that Ireland makes annually to the funding of the International Criminal Police Organisation (Interpol)?
2) Do Interpol produce detailed annual audited accounts?
3) Are copies of these accounts supplied to the Irish Government and subject to analysis or audit review by the Irish authorities?
4) Are details of the annual accounts of Interpol publicly available from the Irish government?
5) In relation to the governance of Interpol do Irish delegate(s) attend its General Assembly and are the minutes and any representations that Ireland may make on an annual basis in the public domain?
6) In relation to `advisers' appointed by the Executive Committee of Interpol does the Irish government have any input to such appointments and are the total payments (including all expenses) made to these `advisers' published in the Interpol accounts?
7) Do the Irish government have a list of the `advisers' currently retained by Interpol with their background, method of selection and reason for appointment?
10) Finally, is the work of Interpol subject to scrutiny or oversight by any official International or Regional organisation and if not does the Irish government have a view on the desirability of this?
Trusting you can help clarify these points.
Yours sincerely
J B Moffatt (Mr)
Director of Information
Celtic League
cc. Department of the Taoiseach
The Secretary of State for the Home Department
Theresa May
Home Office
Queen Anne's Gate
London
United Kingdom
09:02:13
Dear Secretary of State,
1) Can I ask what contribution the United Kingdom makes annually to the funding of the International Criminal Police Organisation (Interpol)?
2) Does Interpol produce detailed annual audited accounts including a full breakdown of the salaries of all employees?
3) Are copies of these accounts supplied to the United Kingdom Government and subject to analysis or audit by the United Kingdom authorities?
4) In relation to its involvement with Interpol does the United Kingdom government have sole responsibility for any liaison or are any functions in relation to same undertaken by the devolved government of the UK or its dependencies?
5) If the answer to (4) is that sole responsibility for liaison is vested in the UK is their any regular formal mechanism by which the devolved governments or dependencies are able to input their views?
6) Are details of the annual accounts of Interpol publicly available from the UK government?
7) In relation to the governance of Interpol do UK delegate(s) attend its General Assembly and are the minutes and any representations that the UK may make on an annual basis in the public domain?
In relation to `advisers' appointed by the Executive Committee of Interpol does the UK government have any input to such appointments and are the total payments (including all expenses) made to these `advisers' published in the Interpol accounts?
9) Do the UK government have a list of the `advisers' currently retained by Interpol with their background, method of selection and reason for appointment?
10) Finally, is the work of Interpol subject to scrutiny or oversight by any official International or Regional organisation and if not does the UKgovernment have a view on the desirability of this?
Trusting you can help clarify these points.
Yours sincerely
J B Moffatt (Mr)
Director of Information
Celtic League
Updates on this correspondence will be provided in due course
J B Moffatt (Mr)
Director of Information
09:03:13
For comment or clarification on this news item in the first instance contact:
General Secretary, Celtic League:
gensec@
The General Secretary will determine the appropriate branch or General Council
Officer to respond to your query.
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The Celtic League has branches in the six Celtic Countries. It works to promote cooperation between these countries and campaigns on a broad range of political, cultural and environmental matters. It highlights human rights abuse, monitors all military activity and focuses on socio-economic issues
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