An internationally renowned expert from our Law School has given evidence to MPs on police cooperation between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland post-Brexit.
Gemma Davies appeared before the UK Parliament’s Northern Ireland Affairs Committee as part of its inquiry into policing and security in Northern Ireland.
The enquiry comes after Brexit created new legal and operational complexities.
Although Northern Ireland left the European Union with the rest of the UK in 2020, the land border with the Republic of Ireland remains open, meaning effective cross-border policing remains essential.
Gemma’s research revealed that collaboration between the Police Service of Northern Ireland and Ireland’s national police force, An Garda Síochána, remains strong.
However, she found that Brexit created new challenges for information sharing and coordinating cross-border investigations.
In her evidence to MPs, Gemma outlined how cooperation between the police forces could be strengthened.
She recommends a new UK-Ireland bilateral security agreement.
This could allow clearer legal authority for joint investigations and enable officers to pursue suspects across the Irish border in urgent situations.
The new agreement could also simplify how evidence and intelligence are shared between police forces.
Gemma also highlighted what she described as a ‘post-Brexit alerting gap’.
Before Brexit, UK police could access European alert systems that issued rapid notifications about suspects, missing people or stolen vehicles.
Improving real time sharing of alerts and warrants between the UK and Ireland could help close this gap.
Gemma’s evidence also suggested strengthening practical cooperation through a joint operational coordination centre and increased funding for joint training, officer exchanges and improved communication systems.
Building on the insights shared with MPs, Gemma is now leading a new study examining how post-Brexit policing arrangements may affect human rights in Northern Ireland.
This work has been commissioned by the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission, the independent body responsible for overseeing human rights protections in the region.
The study will explore whether changes to policing and criminal justice cooperation since Brexit have affected people’s rights.
This is particularly important because the Good Friday Agreement guarantees that people in Northern Ireland can identify as British, Irish or both without losing legal rights.
Gemma will analyse legal frameworks and interview police officers, prosecutors, lawyers and civil society groups, including organisations that support victims of crime.
The study is expected to be completed in July 2026.
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