Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)

Section 33 is an essential part of the customer due diligence provisions in the Bill. Customer due diligence is a key feature of the money laundering system, central parts of which are the requirements to identify customers and ongoing monitoring of such customers and transactions. The amendment relates to section 33(1)(d) which provides that the identification and verification measures set out in section 33(2) must be applied before a service is carried out for a customer if the designated person has reasonable grounds to doubt the veracity or adequacy of documents or information previously obtained relating to verification of the customer.

The reason for the amendment is to ensure there is no question as to whether the section applies to documents or information obtained before the commencement of the section. The amendment replaces section 33(1)(d) and states the relevant documents or information may be obtained under section 33, section 32 of the Criminal Justice Act 1994 or any other administrative arrangements that a person may have applied before section 32 of the 1994 Act operated in regard to the person. The purpose of the amendment in inserting a new section 33(1)(d)(ii) is to reflect the fact that a designated person may in the meantime have obtained other relevant documents or information, that is, not those which caused the doubt in the first instance, which adequately verify the identity of the customer. Amendment agreed to.

Bill reported with amendment.

Government amendment No. 11:

In page 34, line 41, to delete "a treaties" and substitute "the treaties".