Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 183: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the number of cases in respect of which the Criminal Assets Bureau has seized goods or property in each of the past two years to date; the number of cases in respect of which proceedings have stalled or failed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33222/08]

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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I have been informed by the Garda Authorities that the following table shows the total number of cases in respect of which the Criminal Assets Bureau has sought and obtained Freezing Orders for goods or property under the relevant sections of the Proceeds of Crime legislation from 1st January, 2006 to date:

Some of these Orders include Freezing Orders for property alone; cash alone; or property and cash.

None of the above proceedings listed have stalled. It has been possible to determine some cases pursuant to a recent amendment of Section 4(a) of the Proceeds of Crime Act 1996 which permits the disposal of assets with the owners consent. Others however must wait the usual statutory period of 7 years before being finalised. To date only one case could be described as having failed. This relates to a case where a Section 2 (Freezing Order) was sought for a sum of €49,000 in cash. This Order was granted by the Court but was subsequently vacated by Order of the High Court two weeks later.