Michael Collins (Cork South West, Independent) | Oireachtas source

The directive and the Bill are aimed at stamping out crimes against the EU budget and specifically mention fraud that affects the financial interests of the Union. To be clear, this includes the misappropriation of funds that might be obtained under the EU budget but also fraud or wrongdoing concerning money from national budgets that could contribute to EU resources.

In 2016, the EU's annual report on the fight against fraud found 1,410 instances of fraud involving €391 million. The regulatory impact analysis of the Bill published by the Department of Justice states the European Commission estimates that implementing the directive would result in a saving of €477 million throughout the EU. The departmental analysis is that it is not possible to quantify what portion of this €477 million would result from Ireland's transposition of the instrument. Will the Minister of State address or clarify this point? For instance, on what basis did the Commission reached the figure of €477 million? Why can a country-by-country breakdown not be given, even in very general terms? The Commission's report on the fight against fraud gives a national breakdown. If it has a means of estimating an overall figure surely it would be able to estimate a breakdown by country. It would be of benefit to know how much money could be saved by the passage of the Bill into law. Why is there no country-by-country breakdown from the Commission or from Ireland? Is it about protecting the reputations of certain countries? Is it the case that the Bill is more about protecting eastern European countries? Will the Minister of State address these questions?

We are speaking about the EU, and we are part of the EU, but the Garda needs more resources to apprehend criminals such as these and all other criminals. Is there a new budget for them? We also need to thank our local gardaí for all of their efforts in recent months. It has not been an easy job for them as the Minister of State can well imagine. They stand on the roadside in the rain and snow. This is their job and this is what they are made to do. They are out in the frost and cold and every kind of weather telling people not to go outside their 5 km limit while we have tens of thousands flying in and out of the country and no one gives a damn. They are all fine and welcome and there is no quarantine. It is an EU issue and an issue throughout the country. I raised it in the Dáil last May with the then Taoiseach, Deputy Varadkar. I stated we needed PCR testing for those coming in at our airports but it was dismissed at the time. I contacted the airports but it was dismissed. It has come at a very high cost. We can look at various issues but this needs to be addressed.

We have been fighting very hard down through the years to give justice and stronger powers to gardaí because they need them to deal with these issues. I think of the Garda stations that were closed in Ballinspittle, Ballinacarriga and Goleen. We fought and we won the battle to reopen Ballinspittle Garda station but issues like that need to be tackled.

I fully support the amendments tabled by Deputies Naughten and Tóibín. We look at the theft of dogs and the fines and proceedings that follow. People adore their animals. I have had so many phone calls about this over the past number of months from people who would rather be taken away themselves. They would rather nearly kill themselves than to think the dog was taken away from them, given the heartbreak and the worry they have had in the past number of months due to unscrupulous individuals who go around terrorising people by attempting to take or taking their dogs. The law here is too easy. Long ago, the law was very strict in regard to horses and if a person hurt a horse, it was far more serious than if they hurt a human. The law should be serious if a person attempts to abduct a dog or take a dog away from its owner, and thinks they can walk away from it.

We talk about Europe and this law is based on a European directive. I see what came into law in the past number of days, after the Taoiseach signing into law on 26 August the penalty points for fishermen, which is another EU belt on top of the fishermen. Well done to the Taoiseach, Deputy Micheál Martin. He is continuing his goal since he got into office of wiping out Irish fishing after Brexit, and this is another EU penalty down on top of the fishermen.

These are all areas that have caused great stress to people and they would warrant further discussion, but I am out of time to discuss them.

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