Pádraig Mac Lochlainn (Donegal North East, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

The Minister and the Government have chosen to change the name of the Bill and change the direction of what it is about for a specified purpose that complies with their international security responsibilities. We also have responsibilities to the international community in terms of business and attracting business. That is the link point I am making. Where is the radical intervention through an existing Bill to make something happen and to change our laws to comply with our international responsibilities? We have been criticised by the US Senate and the public accounts committee in Westminster. Why can we not do it in respect of these matters?

The other point linked to the specifics of the Bill we should be discussing today is the report from the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists about white collar crime and tax avoidance. The Government has been aware of this for quite a while. Citizens in Ireland are avoiding their tax responsibilities with offshore accounts. This is a global approach where people in the professions, such as accountancy and law, assist this. It is estimated that between €16 trillion and €25 trillion is hidden in offshore accounts. Many Irish citizens are involved in the business. Where is the dramatic intervention in the process of legislation changing a Bill to make it happen and deal with the issue? I refer to the Ansbacher debacle. No one was prosecuted. We are discussing money laundering, criminality, criminal gangs and their impact on our economy, and white collar crime and its impact. Tax avoidance is stealing from our State. The Government is choosing to ask people to pay the family home tax to raise €500 million per annum. How many hundreds of millions of euro have been lost through legalised tax avoidance by major corporations and white collar crime? I do not see the Government coming in with emergency interventions in legislation to make it happen yet the Government is doing it here. That is our point. There seems to be a selective approach to haphazard legislation when it suits but in other cases it cannot happen because it will be delayed in the Office of the Attorney General and the process will go on until we have a solution.

With regard to the specifics of the Bill we were dealing with, the Exchequer is losing €861 million annually because of illegal black market activity and theft. Sinn Féin supports the original Bill, which brings Ireland into line with international norms on tackling these issues. Retail Excellence Ireland made an excellent presentation to the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality on cigarette smuggling and the practical solutions proposed, such as scanning containers. Retail Excellence Ireland offered to resource some of the cost of handheld devices that can be used in markets to see if illegal cigarettes are being sold. The impact is profound because we know the cost of smoking to health services. We know the lost revenue from cigarette smuggling and the Government should do everything it can to co-operate to tackle criminal gangs in terms of diesel laundering and cigarette smuggling.

We must protect citizens but the issue I have is that when it comes to major corporations and white collar criminals in the State, there is not the same urgency to amend legislation. That is our fundamental objection to the motion. This seems to be a selective approach. Who could not agree with the need to shut down a mobile telephone network for a period of time to protect citizens?

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