Ivana Bacik (Independent) | Oireachtas source

A number of us spoke on Second Stage in favour of the principle of the amendments that have been ruled out of order, that being, the funds raised should be ring-fenced for the disadvantaged communities that have suffered the most from the sorts of organised crime that we are discussing. This is in keeping with the broader issue, namely, that criminal justice measures are not enough on their own to tackle organised crime, gang crime or drug crime. A range of initiatives needs to be taken. The Minister of State is in agreement, as has the justice committee generally been in the past. We must consider a multidisciplinary approach rather than just criminal justice measures. An initiative to ring-fence the proceeds raised from this sort of civil forfeiture legislation would also be a way of tackling disadvantage. We all accept that this is the type of issue that might best go forward to the wider review of the legislation that the Tánaiste mentioned on Second Stage. The issue that I raised in my amendment regarding the extension of CAB's powers could be included in that wider review.