Paul Gavan (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

No, and I take the Tánaiste's point, but he can understand my concern. He has been honest enough to acknowledge it. An increase in funding of €300,000 is a drop in the ocean. According to figures from 2007, €2.5 billion was being lost each year to corporate crime, white-collar crime or whatever one calls it. It is extraordinary that the Government is proposing this Bill, which we all support, on the one hand but, on the other hand there seems to be little in the way of the required funding. I remind the Tánaiste that, in her submission to the committee two weeks ago, Professor Deirdre Ahern made the point that this organisation has been consistently underfunded.

Professor Ahern stated:

We need to ensure that medium and large corporate players are subject to the same level of scrutiny and, where appropriate, enforcement activity, as small closely held companies and their officers. This is particularly so given that Ireland is a destination of choice for incorporation of many large financial services and multinational companies.

Her point is very well made and, in all seriousness, I do not think this organisation is resourced to do that right now, even including the plans the Minister mentioned.