Seanad debates

Tuesday, 24 June 2003

Offences Against the State (Amendment) Act 1998: Motion.

 

In recent years, much good work has been done by the Criminal Assets Bureau in getting to the root of ill-gotten gains and those who amass huge sums of money through criminal activity, including illegal drug dealing. The CAB needs to direct more of its attention, however, to the paramilitary fronts that exist in the State. I refer not only to dissident groups but also to the continued presence of the IRA. I have been informed – there is no reason for doubting it – that the IRA has simply moved its operations and, instead of murdering people here and in Britain, is now attempting to front legitimate businesses. Have we seen the kind of concentrated effort by the CAB and other law enforcement agencies to ensure that these paramilitary fronts are exposed and that their profits are confiscated? The Minister of State should take that point seriously because we cannot have such groups – even those that are on ceasefire – attempting to diversify their illegal activities.

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