Jimmy Deenihan (Kerry North, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 63: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the value of assets seized by the Criminal Assets Bureau in each of the years 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008 and to date in 2009; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21577/09]

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

The information requested by the Deputy concerning the value of assets seized in the Criminal Assets Bureau from 2005 to 2007 is set out in the table below.

Figures for 2008 and 2009 are not yet available. The figures for 2008 are in the process of being finalised and will be published soon as part of the 2008 Annual Report. In terms of the value of assets such as cars, property etc. currently being held by the Bureau, I am advised that it would require the expenditure of an inordinate amount of time and resources to put a value on these assets due to the fact that their values continually change.

The Criminal Assets Bureau has been highly successful over the years in tackling criminals in a very effective, visible and tangible way. The work of the Bureau allows the public to see the law enforcement agencies of the State having a real effect on criminal activities. The co-ordinated multi-agency approach used at the Bureau in dealing with the proceeds of crime is one of the most effective tools that we have in tackling organised crime gangs.

Bureau officers come from a range of state organisations, including the Department of Social and Family Affairs and the Revenue Commissioners, retaining their powers as officers of their parent organisations. The result is a very effective organisation which can draw on a wide range of powers in a coordinated manner. The Bureau represents a new form of policing designed to disrupt and disable the capacity of targeted individuals from participating in further criminal activity. The criminal investigation can continue while a financial investigation, a tax examination and a social welfare examination proceeds.

Since 2007, the Bureau has started targeting the assets of more middle and lower ranking criminals. These investigations will not be as lucrative for the State in terms of monies seized. These Houses did not set up the Bureau to be a profit-making venture. It was set up to deprive individuals from benefiting from the proceeds of crime. These more middle ranking criminals are a constant source of anger and irritation for parents and community workers as they flaunt their new found wealth in local towns or villages.

An important function of the Bureau is to implement taxation laws. The Bureau has found that the Disclosure of Information for Taxation and Other Purposes Act 1996 to be particularly useful and I understand that the provisions were used extensively in recent years to allow for a transfer of information between the Revenue Commissioners and the Bureau. To many, social welfare would seem like a smaller element of the CAB process but it is another important piece in the jigsaw that helps the Bureau to form a clearer picture of who it is dealing with.

Since the beginning of 2008, ten additional staff have been recruited. This is made up of five Gardaí, two Financial Analysts, one IT analyst, one Tax Official and one additional administrative assistant. This has allowed the Bureau to establish an additional team. I am informed by the Chief Bureau Officer that all of his teams are now targeting both the high level and the middle ranking criminals so the depth of experience at the Bureau is increasing all the time.

Another important development has been the rapid expansion in the number of trained asset profilers who now work in each Garda Division all over the country. At the end of 2007, there were 28 fully trained assets profilers in An Garda Síochána but this figure has more than trebled to 102 today. A further 13 Asset Profilers have been trained by the Bureau and are working with the Revenue Commissioners. This should alleviate any concerns that the Bureau is only focused on criminals in the main urban centres. The profilers have now become an invaluable resource for the Bureau in doing the early groundwork on possible targets and in keeping the Bureau informed of developments at local level.

I welcome the continued development of the Bureau and I look forward to receiving the 2008 Annual Report in the coming weeks.

TABLES

It should be noted that these figures are available in the CAB Annual Reports