Neale Richmond (Dublin Rathdown, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I welcome this legislation. I listened with great intensity to the remarks made yesterday by the Minister regarding this Bill and the importance of Ireland bringing this legislation into being in the context of the transposition of the EU's fifth anti-money laundering directive. It is a shame that there were delays in transposing the fourth directive, but we can remedy that. The importance of this legislation defines where the State stands in the context of tackling organised crime and international terrorism. Unfortunately, we have a sad history in this State of dealing with terrorism and that threat has not gone away.

Looking at what this legislation provides for and allows to be done, the important thing is to cut off finance from organised crime and terrorism, not just in this State but across the EU and beyond. Many threats are posed to the State by Brexit, but the one thing we must retain is a close working relationship between the police authorities in this jurisdiction and their colleagues in Northern Ireland and across the UK. The extremely successful work done on a European level must also be continued.

In recent months, great success has been achieved by members of An Garda Síochána, working with European colleagues, to smash an online scam, worth more than €24 million, which was operating out of Ireland. We have seen the EncroChat used by Europe's most notorious gangsters, some of whom are Irish passport holders, broken up by a dedicated effort, led by Europol, but including a contribution by members of An Garda Síochána working here and in Europol's head office.

One thing we must look at in the context of this directive is modernising the Garda Síochána's legislative tool base for addressing organised crime and the money that goes into funding it. The legislation before us will make it possible to target anonymous prepaid bank cards, existing luxury properties, virtual currencies and the high-end art trade. It will also allow us to ensure due diligence is carried out before business relationships are entered into. All of this will help to combat money-laundering activities in Ireland and allow us to work with police authorities and governments across the EU to ensure that there are benefits throughout the Union as well.

This legislation will also allow us to look at who is targeted. We all know the absolute misery poured onto the streets of the capital city and everywhere else in the country by organised criminal groups such as the Kinahan cartel. Such groups are able to move money seamlessly from bases in Dublin to Spain, the Netherlands and England. There has been such good work done in bringing so many members of that cartel to book and ensuring that they answer for the crimes they have committed in this State and across the EU. I have referred to the misery they have caused to so many families through debt, destruction and murder and, more importantly, through the vicious drugs they pump onto our streets.

We must also look to target terrorist groups. Even in recent weeks, nine members of the New IRA army council were sentenced to lengthy prison terms in Northern Ireland because of the work of and co-operation between the authorities in this jurisdiction and their colleagues in Northern Ireland. It is that kind of work, those sentences and ensuring that the funds that pay for terrorist atrocities and associated manoeuvres are restricted that are important.

I welcome this legislation. I appreciate the way it is being expedited and the manner in which the Minister of State and his colleague, the Minister for Justice and Equality, Deputy McEntee, are taking account of the serious nature of what is at stake. I implore the entire House, when we support this legislation, to look at what it is about and recognise that money laundering is an active threat.

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