    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2002, Book II)]
    [July 11, 2002]
    [Page 1213]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Message to the Senate Transmitting the Ireland-United States Agreement
    on Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters
    July 11, 2002

    To the Senate of the United States:
        With a view to receiving the advice and consent of the Senate to
    ratification, I transmit herewith the Agreement between the Government
    of the United States of America and the Government of Ireland on Mutual
    Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters, signed at Washington on January
    18, 2001. I transmit also, for the information of the Senate, the report
    of the Department of State with respect to the Treaty.
        The Treaty is one of a series of modern mutual legal assistance
    treaties being negotiated by the United States in order to counter
    criminal activities more effectively. The Treaty should be an effective
    tool to assist in the prosecution of a wide variety of crimes, including
    terrorism, drug trafficking, fraud, and other white-collar offenses. The
    Treaty is self-executing.
        The Treaty provides for a broad range of cooperation in criminal
    matters. Mutual assistance available under the Treaty includes: taking
    the testimony or statements of persons; providing documents, records,
    and articles of evidence; locating or identifying persons; serving
    documents; transferring persons in custody for testimony or other
    purposes; executing requests for searches and seizures; identifying,
    tracing, freezing, seizing, and forfeiting the proceeds and
    instrumentalities of crime and assistance in related proceedings; and
    such other assistance as may be agreed.
        I recommend that the Senate give early and favorable consideration
    to the Treaty and give its advice and consent to ratification.

                                                              George W. Bush

     The White House,

     July 11, 2002.