Police chiefs from all over Europe are holding a three-day summit in Co Monaghan aimed at devising ways in which states can work together to combat organised crime gangs by confiscating the proceeds of crime.
Senior officers from the EU's 25 member-states are meeting in Carrickmacross with their counterparts from applicant states and officials from Europol, Interpol and the International Monetary Fund.
They will compile proposals on cross-border assets confiscation which will then be submitted to the European Commission with a view to framing new EU legislation on assets confiscation.
The conference is being hosted by the Garda through the offices of the Criminal Assets Bureau (Cab).
Minister for Justice Michael McDowell and Garda Commissioner Noel Conroy will address delegates today.
The head of the Criminal Assets Bureau, Chief Supt Felix McKenna, and his counterpart at the North's Assets Recovery Agency, Alan McQuillan, will also address delegates.
The two men will outline how the crime legislation, first framed in the Republic almost 10 years ago, has been used in recent years to confiscate the proceeds of crime from criminals, even those who have escaped conviction.
They will also outline how Cab and the Assets Recovery Agency are now working together to tackle gangs in both jurisdictions.
Chief Supt McKenna will host much of the event.
The police chiefs will evaluate strategies for targeting the proceeds of crime in different countries across Europe, and share their experiences in this area.
They will also seek to raise awareness in states where no such laws currently exist on the framing of legislation similar to our Proceeds of Crime Bill and on how this can be most effectively used.
Recent changes to our legislation, which allow for the freezing of assets by the Garda of Irish criminals based abroad, will also be outlined to the delegates.
The Irish legislation, within which Cab operates, is widely regarded as international best practice.
The aim of the conference, which runs from today until Wednesday, is to "contribute to the creation of an EU-wide environment where criminals cannot enjoy the proceeds of their criminal activity".
There are no figures for the value of the European organised crime industry, but informed sources said it would run to hundreds of billions of euros per annum.
The conference is funded by AGIS, an EU framework aimed at fostering co-operation between police forces in the region.
