Marian Harkin (Sligo-Leitrim, Independent) | Oireachtas source

We are discussing a directive that relates directly to the free movement of capital across borders in the EU and the necessity of ensuring robust and comprehensive legislation and systems to protect individuals and member states from the negative effects of money laundering. Member states have a duty to set up centralised bank account registries, which must be interconnected, thereby allowing for a single European access point. The designated authorities will be able to access information from those registries, such as whether an individual has bank accounts in different member states or is moving money across borders. In the simplest of terms, they will enable authorities to follow the money.

Little did I think when I was reading through the directive last week that I would, a few days later, be reading a headline reporting that 50 young people from a Kerry town were recruited as money mules for an international crime syndicate. These young people are allowing their bank accounts to be used by criminals to launder and transfer money that comes from criminal activity and causes pain and devastation to individuals and communities. We are, rightly, discussing legislation here today to prevent cross-border money laundering. Right in front of our noses, however, second and third level students are involved in exactly such activity by allowing their bank accounts to be used to launder, conceal and move the proceeds of crime across county and national borders.

I have no doubt that we could substitute Waterford, Wexford, Sligo, Donegal or a number of other places for Kerry. Recruiters are most likely working right across the country right now, perhaps in the Minister of State's town or my town. I do not know for certain but I suspect that many of these young people do not realise what is happening and just see this activity as a handy way to make a few bob or even do a favour for a mate. Not only are they actively engaged in criminal activity, some of them will become trapped because the people who want to exert pressure on them, now or later, have leverage on them. These are our sons, daughters, nieces, nephews and grandchildren. We have a duty to act now. Second and third level schools and colleges must immediately and consistently hammer home the message that under no circumstances should students allow their bank account to be used by others for any purpose. More than that, the Ministers for Education, Justice, and Children, Equality, Disability Integration and Youth, and their Departments, all have a role, as do the banks, to get that message out to people.

We may need to look at some kind of strictly time-limited amnesty to give cover to young people who have been caught up in this web of exploitation. It was done for people who owed tax. We should at least investigate whether it can be done now for the young people involved. The purpose of this directive is to stop cross-border money laundering, but we should act now to stop this particular rot and close down the avenue that is drawing many young Irish people into criminality at this time.

Let us not wait. Many young people and their families are under pressure and many of them have and had no notion of the consequences of their actions. I have no expertise on amnesties but our responsibilities in this House are not just to the operation of a cross-border financial system. That is right and proper but our responsibilities are also to our young people and to protect them from the claws of criminals and organised crime. If we do not act now, laws will be broken and more importantly, lives will be destroyed. I ask the Minister of State to consider what I have suggested.

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