Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

There has been much talk about billions of euro and so on. My office was contacted last night by Respond housing association in order to highlight that on Monday last it announced the closure of its women's refuge in Tallaght at Christmas. There are nine families housed at that refuge right now. Respond has been funding the facility itself for three years at €350,000 per annum. It has now run out of funds and has appealed to various Government Departments. However, it has been informed that it will not obtain access to funding. The families at the refuge, some of which left extreme circumstances of distress and domestic violence, will become homeless. Under the provisions of the Environment (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, I urge the Government to intervene. Something should be done. An episode such as this illustrates how out of touch all the rhetoric, verbiage and announcements are when, in reality, in places such as Tallaght, very good services are shutting down for the want of meagre funding.

I note that in the Programme for Government, under the criminal law reform section, the Government commits to enacting legislation by stating, "We will enact legislation to strengthen the powers of the Criminal Assets Bureau in relation to forfeiting the proceeds of crime." Given the size and scale of the Project Eagle deal, is the Government absolutely satisfied that there is nothing to be concerned about regarding the allegations of misappropriation of funds, bribes, offshore accounts and pay-offs? Some of this is accepted. The £7 million in an offshore account is accepted in terms of what happened there. Deputy Wallace has raised other serious issues. I have been raising this since July in terms of the establishment of a commission of investigation as a result of the fact that this matter involves taxpayers' money. Is the Taoiseach certain there is nothing in the Project Eagle deal about which to be concerned? When can we expect the proposed legislation? I suggest that the Criminal Assets Bureau requires legislative enhancement and the Taoiseach says he is going to do it.

That was four years ago, admittedly. It is to be addressed in respect of two matters, the first of which concerns cross-jurisdictional issues in the North and Republic. This would apply to Project Eagle should the Criminal Assets Bureau be involved in that scenario. The second matter concerns paramilitary criminality in terms of fuel laundering and smuggling. The National Crime Agency and MI5 are getting involved in this. Why is there not a proposal by our Government for a joint approach between CAB and the National Crime Agency in terms of tackling what has occurred for years and what continues to occur? Up to £70 million has been lost through smuggling, fuel laundering and many other such activities.

See this speech in context