Niall Collins (Limerick, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I note at the outset that Fianna Fáíl is, obviously, supporting the motion. The Minister has spoken to the motion in the context of the forthcoming G8 summit, which is one of the most important global political events and brings together the leaders of the world's foremost economies. It will attract immense public and media focus as well as protests from anti-globalisation groups and other organisations. The summit will also offer the Border region a platform to exhibit itself across the globe, attract greater levels of tourism and showcase the advancements made over the 15 years since the signing of the Good Friday Agreement.

Inevitably, the concentration of political power in one spot makes it a real target for potential terrorist strikes. Extraordinary security measures must be put in place to secure the area and protect the reputation of the region when it is at the centre of global political attention. Having all eight global leaders on the island represents a great opportunity for the country, which, I hope, we can use to our advantage by welcoming these leaders. The proposal on Report Stage to empower the Minister to close mobile telephone networks is an extraordinary measure of the type that can only be used in the most extreme circumstances. It is not a power that can be used lightly by any Government. I am wary of the fact that the amendment has been put forward at such a late point in the progress of the Bill when it should have been debated and thrashed out at an earlier moment. Regardless of that issue, Fianna Fáil is supportive of it. While powers like this should not be haphazardly or belatedly handed to Government without proper scrutiny, the amendment merits support in the exceptional circumstances in which it has been moved.

These powers must be used with real discretion to ensure that ordinary citizens do not find themselves cut off from the world due to a closed mobile telephone network or by any improper misuse of the powers being vested in the Minister. We must look at the world to see how other jurisdictions have reacted to and planned for these events. We saw recently the situation in Boston and the awful events surrounding the marathon there. The authorities in Boston had the facility to close down the mobile telephone network to counter the detonation of any further devices that might have been planted in the Boston area. It is an example of the way to do things. The Minister has also spoken of our neighbouring jurisdictions, in which similar legislation exists. Given the proximity of Fermanagh, where the G8 summit will take place, it is obvious that we must go ahead and include the proposed section in the legislation.

On the matter of the Criminal Justice (Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing) (Amendment) Bill, there has been widespread reporting in the last number of days on the volume of money being transferred out of the State through the money transfer agencies. It throws up a lot of questions. The reports came on foot of a World Bank report which was the subject of articles in The Irish Times and other publications. The World Bank reported that in 2011, Irish people sent home $750 million while foreign people living here remitted outward $2.4 billion. The latter figure was an increase on the 2003 figure of $788 million. According to a breakdown of the figures, the United Kingdom was the destination for the largest single volume of money remitted in 2011 at $680 million. The next largest volume of funds was transferred to Nigeria, to which $601 million was remitted. Third was Poland, to which $224 million was remitted. We have estimates for 2012 but the 2011 figures are published and reported by the World Bank. It throws up a number of questions given the number of people living in the State who come from those particular destinations. While the recent census showed that there are seven times as many Polish people living in the State as Nigerian people, 2.7 times as much money was remitted to Nigeria as to Poland.

A number of money transmitting agencies operate in the State, including Western Union and MoneyGram, and we must focus on their regulation. The Central Bank has a monitoring mechanism to look at trends in transfers of over €100 and one of the requirements is to know the client. We may need to lift the lid on this a bit more to look at the volume of transactions. On the face of it, a number of questions are raised given the number of Polish as opposed to Nigerian people living here and the disparity in the volume of money leaving the country to go to Poland versus Nigeria. I cite those destinations as they were the ones which were flagged in the World Bank report. I have submitted a number of parliamentary questions to the Taoiseach, Minister for Justice and Equality and Minister for Finance on the subject and take the opportunity to raise it here also. It is something we must look at given that €2.4 billion is being remitted out, a quarter of which is going to one destination at a high per capita rate. It throws up a lot of questions. To gain a greater understanding, we may have to look at the volume of transactions and the quantum of money being remitted in each individual transaction. It is a relevant matter to the legislation on money laundering and terrorist financing which is under discussion and I take the opportunity to flag it today.

Fianna Fáil has no issue supporting the motion.

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