Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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Question 369: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the steps he has taken to address white collar crime this year; his plans to address it in future; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20533/10]

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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I am advised by An Garda Síochána that the Garda Bureau of Fraud Investigation (GBFI) is currently investigating a wide range of cases of what might be regarded as white collar crime and, where appropriate does so in collaboration with other statutory authorities. I am further advised that the Bureau has sufficient resources available to it to investigate this type of criminality, and where additional personnel are required they have been made available to the appointed senior investigating officers. The GBFI has also recently trained additional personnel attached to divisions outside the Dublin Metropolitan Region in fraud investigation techniques to enable them to investigate less serious cases locally and support GBFI in its national responsibilities.

I have informed the Garda Commissioner that I am prepared to bring forward any changes to the criminal law which would enhance the ability of An Garda Síochána to investigate white collar crime, and, in this context, I have asked him to look at the law in this area and let me have any proposals he might consider desirable in the public interest. The issue of white collar crime will also be addressed as part of the process of the preparation of a White Paper on Crime, which is taking place at present.