[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 38, Number 28 (Monday, July 15, 2002)]
[Pages 1176-1177]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
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.

[[Page 1177]]

    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.