Mr. Michael Gubbins:

Another one to remark on is that we get what we call good citizens' reports. That is where members of the public contact the bureau and say, "I see Michael. He is driving a car. He is a criminal. He is engaged in this, this and this." We log that, look at it and decide if that is someone we will take on. It is very much an all-of-community approach. In the Criminal Assets Bureau we work very well with our Garda colleagues and the community in general. As an aside, when we do our searches in the communities, whether here in Dublin or in a rural area, it is not unusual for someone to pass us and say, "Lads, thanks very much, and well done", or for somebody to contact us, even while we are on site or later that day, to give us additional information. The work we do is important, and people appreciate it. While we spoke about monetary values to date, there is also the importance or the value to the community. When they see somebody stripped of the property, whether it is a house, a car, a watch or clothes, that sends a strong message to that community. They do not really support these people but, let us be honest, they live in silence around them. They really do appreciate it when we come in and take those assets from those individuals.