Ivana Bacik (Independent)

I thank the Minister for that full reply. While we all welcome the Bill and share its objectives, we are simply trying to make it more effective. On Second Stage, I spoke of the many challenges we face in dealing with white collar crime. The Minister has mentioned some of those, in particular the rapidly changing nature of this sort of crime, which is increasingly sophisticated. Given the need for multi-agency and cross-departmental approaches to deal with this sort of crime, involving the Financial Regulator, the Department of Finance and the criminal justice authorities, some sort of co-ordinated plan would be welcome. I accept this may be an overly rigid model to use, so I will not press the amendment at this stage. On Report Stage, however, I would like to hear more detail on the way in which a more multi-agency approach might be taken by the Department.

Amendment, by leave, withdrawn.

Section 3 agreed to.

Sections 4 to 23, inclusive, agreed to.

SECTION 24.

Government amendment No. 2:

In page 20, subsection (1), between lines 6 and 7, to insert the following:

" "barrister" means a practising barrister;".