Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The ODCE is well resourced. Since the appointment of the current director in 2012, he has enhanced the capability of the office to investigate increasingly complex breaches of company law and amended the investigative procedures used by the office. These enhancements included recruiting additional expertise, most notably the recruitment of six forensic accountants, a digital forensic specialist and two enforcement portfolio managers. Campaigns are under way for the recruitment of two enforcement lawyers and two forensic accountants. Other enhancements include amending the investigative procedures used by the office, with members An Garda Síochána now taking the lead in all criminal investigations; re-organising the structure of the office; and fostering greater culture of risk management. Funding to the office in 2017 came to €4.895 million. In 2018, it was increased to €5.057 million.

Organisational reforms have taken place and it is doing good work. It has the necessary resources to enable it to do that. I am going to make it an independent statutory agency, and that will give it the flexibility to locate the skilled people it needs to carry out its work. In the meantime, it continues to work very effectively and I am satisfied that it is carrying out its duties.

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