Kieran O'Donnell (Limerick East, Fine Gael)
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Question 40: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the coordination that exists between his Department and the Department of Social and Family Affairs in respect of criminals against whom the Criminal Assets Bureau has obtained judgements receiving social welfare payments; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31508/09]

Michael Noonan (Limerick East, Fine Gael)
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Question 46: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the coordination that exists between his Department and the Department of Social and Family Affairs in respect of criminals subject to investigation by An Garda Síochána and the Criminal Assets Bureau receiving social welfare payments; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31500/09]

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 40 and 46 together.

The Criminal Assets Bureau includes a number of Social Welfare inspectors who are appointed as Bureau Officers and who are actively engaged in identifying and targeting funds accumulated by criminals. Where such assets are identified they are seized in order to deprive criminals of the opportunity of benefitting from the use of those assets.

Social Welfare inspectors attached to the Bureau also investigate and determine social welfare entitlements of persons who are suspected of deriving assets from criminal activity.

In addition, the Regional Director's Office of the Department of Social and Family Affairs fully cooperates with all requests in relation to cases of interest to Bureau Officers and also refers Departmental cases deemed suitable for consideration of investigation and determination by the Bureau.

The effectiveness of this approach can be seen from the fact that in the period since its inception up to the end of 2007, CAB made savings of over €3.5m and recovered €2.5m in relation to social welfare payments.