Jim O'Keeffe (Cork South West, Fine Gael)
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Question 228: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform his views on the proposed termination of the Assets Recovery Agency in Northern Ireland as a separate entity; if this will impact on the level of co-operation with the Criminal Assets Bureau; and if it will impact on the efforts to recover moneys derived from criminal activities by paramilitaries and former paramilitaries throughout the island of Ireland. [3767/07]

Michael McDowell (Dublin South East, Progressive Democrats)
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As the Deputy will appreciate, any decision to restructure the United Kingdom's law enforcement agencies is of course a matter for the British Government. In relation to the merger of the Assets Recovery Agency and the Serious Organised Crime Agency, I have been given to understand that this will not result in the diminution in the resources available for assets recovery work in Northern Ireland. It is in the interest of all that the excellent level of cooperation that exists currently between the Criminal Assets Bureau and the Assets Recovery Agency is maintained and I have been assured that the British authorities are fully committed to ensuring that this is the case. I am informed by the Garda Authorities that the Chief Bureau Officer of the Criminal Assets Bureau has been in contact with the Director and Deputy Director of the Assets Recovery Agency regarding the proposed merger with the Serious Organised Crime Agency (SOCA) in the United Kingdom. The Criminal Assets Bureau is confident that the level of cooperation that exists will continue into the future. I can assure the House that, as I have stated in the past, anyone who is in possession of illegally-obtained assets, regardless of background or affiliation, will be pursued with the utmost vigour.