Jonathan O'Brien (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein)
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Question 50: To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality if he will provide the number of persons that have had their assets seized by the Criminal Assets Bureau within the past three years; the regional breakdown of these persons; if he will provide an itemised list of the assets seized; the monetary value for each person; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11859/11]

Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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In accordance with the provisions of the Criminal Assets Bureau Act 1996, an annual report on the activities of the Bureau is prepared and laid before the Houses of the Oireachtas.

The annual reports of the Bureau provide details of the activities of the Bureau during the particular year, including detailed statistics concerning actions taken in accordance with the provisions of the Proceeds of Crime, Revenue and Social Welfare legislation.

The reports include information concerning the number of cases in which the Bureau took action; the number of cases concluded by the Bureau and the total sums realised by the Bureau to the Minister for Finance for the benefit of the Central Exchequer.

Annual reports for the years 2008 and 2009 are available in the Oireachtas Library and on the website of An Garda Síochána (www.garda.ie) and my Department (www.justice.ie)http://www.justice.ie/. The Annual Report for 2010 is currently being prepared.

With regard to the specific information sought by the Deputy, I am informed that to provide such information would not be without its difficulties. In particular, the Criminal Assets Bureau is prohibited by legislation from disclosing details of ongoing investigations or legal proceedings prior to their conclusion. It is therefore the policy of the Bureau not to disclose information on individual cases until investigations have been completed and a final determination has been made by the Courts.

In the circumstances, it is not possible to provide a regional breakdown of the persons targeted and an itemised list of the assets seized and the monetary value for each person, as to do so might identify individual persons and cases.