Today in Dublin, Professor Yvonne Daly (Dublin City University, Ireland) and Dr Alan Cusack (University of Limerick, Ireland) launched the Irish Méndez Centre for Investigative Interviewing.
The launch event was attended by more than 80 people including representatives of agencies who conduct investigative interviewing in Ireland – An Garda Síochána (the police), the Corporate Enforcement Authority, the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission, the Central Bank, Revenue, Tusla (the Child and Family Agency); other related professionals – lawyers, interpreters, prosecutors, judges; policy-makers; and academics.
The President of Dublin City University (DCU) welcomed all present, commenting on the alignment of the ImpleMéndez COST Action with DCU’s mission to transform lives and societies. The launch was then addressed by ImpleMéndez Chair Prof Dave Walsh (Chair, De Montfort, UK) and ImpleMéndez members Dr Ivar Fahsing (Norwegian Police University College) and Gisle Kvanvig (Norwegian Centre for Human Rights). A video-recorded message from Prof Juan Méndez was played, where he indicated his support for the development of this and other Méndez Centres within our Action, and reflected on the importance of pressing for the implementation of the Méndez Principles worldwide.
The launch event was then addressed by the Irish Director of Public Prosecutions Catherine Pierse and the Police Ombudsman elect Emily Logan. Inspector Brian Quirke from An Garda Síochána then spoke about investigative interviewing in the Irish police. Finally, the co-directors of the Irish Méndez Centre, Prof Yvonne Daly and Dr Alan Cusack, gave an indication of the plans for the Centre into the future which include the creation of an online repository on investigative interviewing; an “Introduction to the Méndez Principles” workshop; a workshop for An Garda Síochána on interviewing child victims of serious crime; training for lawyers on the Méndez Principles and their role in upholding procedural and legal safeguards; and more.
In the afternoon a 3-hour practical training session, facilitated by ImpleMéndez members Prof Coral Dando (University of Westminster), Dr Katie Maras (University of Bath) and Dr Alan Cusack, was also held for 30 gardaí (police officers) specifically focused on interviewing people with Autism Spectrum Disorder. It was wonderful for the ImpleMéndez Action to be able to facilitate this important training session, through the Irish Méndez Centre.