Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

At present, all funds collected by the bureau are forwarded either directly or through the Revenue Commissioners or the Department of Social Protection to the central Exchequer fund. The Constitution requires and Government accounting principles provide that the public moneys be spent only as voted or approved by Dáil Éireann, unless otherwise provided by statute. The policy of ring-fencing moneys obtained by the Exchequer and the reallocation of these for a specific purpose runs contrary to the normal Estimates process. Under this process, moneys that have been accumulated by the Criminal Assets Bureau are paid into the Government's Central Fund. It is a central fund from which the Government draws for expenditure on public services and investments, including the provision of drugs services. I do not intend to travel down the route proposed. It is ultimately the Department of Justice and Equality and the Garda that receive moneys from the Central Fund. Under the aegis of my Department, moneys go to various groups assisting victims of crime. In a sense this is almost an artificial conversation, because once money goes into the Central Fund, it means there are additional funds in that fund available. The Central Fund funds the Department of Justice and Equality in addition to all others. Therefore, this is not really a major issue.