Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 23: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if he is satisfied that the assets of criminal gangs have been fully examined, assessed or targeted; if sufficient resources have been made available to adequately investigate such activity with particular reference to racketeering and money laundering and links with criminals outside this jurisdiction; if action has been taken to reduce the incidents of the use of criminally acquired assets to fund otherwise legitimate businesses; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12997/07]

Michael McDowell (Dublin South East, Progressive Democrats)
Link to this: Individually | In context

I have been advised by An Garda Síochána that the Criminal Assets Bureau has sufficient financial and other resources available to it to operate effectively pursuant to its statutory remit. The Bureau also continues to cooperate with law enforcement agencies in other jurisdictions in order to fully achieve its objectives pursuant to its statutory remit. The Bureau keeps the allocation of personnel under constant review in light of its workload and a Forensic Analyst and a Professional Accountant have recently been recruited. The matter of resources is kept under constant review.

With regard to the matter of using criminally acquired assets to fund otherwise legitimate businesses, any individuals in local communities who believe they can openly flaunt wealth or assets secured through illegal activities, including drug dealing, will by vigorously pursued by the Gardaí either through the provisions of the Criminal Justice Act 1994 or through the work of the Criminal Assets Bureau under its statutory remit. In addition to this, since 2004, an initiative has been in place whereby one member of An Garda Síochána from each Garda Division is trained as a profiler in respect of criminal assets. This Initiative was developed by the Criminal Assets Bureau in conjunction with the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions. A Divisional Criminal Assets Profiler is now in place in each of the 25 Garda Divisions and a full complement of Divisional Profilers is being maintained.

The Criminal Assets Bureau has been at the forefront of the fight against organised crime, including drug trafficking, in this jurisdiction since its inception in 1996. The significant successes that the Bureau continues to achieve by its operations demonstrates the effectiveness of its approach in pursuing illegally gotten gains. The manner in which the Bureau operates has, in the eleven-year period of its operation, come to be viewed, both domestically and internationally, as a very successful model for targeting persons seeking to derive profits from criminal activities.