Joanna Tuffy (Labour)

I move amendment No. 1:

In page 3, before section 1, to insert the following new section:

1.—Money realised on the making of disposal orders under the Principal Act as amended by this Act shall be used for community development purposes in disadvantaged areas."

This amendment was first tabled by Labour Party Members in the Dáil, where the Minister of State at the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform, Deputy Brian Lenihan, rejected it. I am tabling the amendment again because it is a good idea. A lot of money will result from this legislation. Will it simply go to the Exchequer? Will there be no visible relationship between it and the money put into initiatives to help communities affected by crime, particularly with regard to preventative measures?

On Second Stage I suggested that the moneys could be put into education initiatives. The Minister of State is aware, for example, of a project in Clondalkin, the Carline Centre of Learning, where young people who could potentially be involved in crime in the future are given training and encouraged to take up other options in life. The initial idea was to take young people involved in joyriding and show them how to work on the mechanics of a car, so as to give them a positive attitude to cars, use their energy in a positive way, give them a means of employment in the future and get them back into mainstream education. I would like to see money from the proceeds of crime going into such areas.

I raised another concern on Second Stage. This legislative initiative is welcome in that it gets money for the Exchequer and returns ill-gotten gains to the public coffers, which is a good thing. However, I am concerned that the criminals involved are still carrying out their businesses with a detrimental effect on other people's lives and communities. Apart from bringing money in, how will this measure ensure that something is done about crime? The Minister of State might respond.