Jonathan O'Brien (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein)
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Question 220: To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality the cost to date of the investigation into Anglo Irish Bank; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8784/12]

Jonathan O'Brien (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein)
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Question 221: To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of gardaí working on the investigation into Anglo Irish Bank. [8785/12]

Jonathan O'Brien (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein)
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Question 222: To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality the total number of gardaí who are part of the Garda Bureau of Fraud Investigation; and the number of these gardaí who are part of the investigation team investigating Anglo Irish Bank. [8787/12]

Jonathan O'Brien (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein)
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Question 224: To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality the moneys paid to any external consultants or forensic accountants as part of the Anglo Irish Bank investigation; and the names of these individuals or companies and services rendered. [8789/12]

Jonathan O'Brien (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein)
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Question 225: To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality if he has met the Garda Commissioner regarding the Anglo Irish Bank investigation; and if he discussed personnel levels during this meeting. [8790/12]

Jonathan O'Brien (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein)
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Question 226: To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of gardaí assigned to the Anglo Irish Bank investigation who retired in the course of the investigation; the number of these vacancies which remain unfulfilled; and the date on which they will be filled. [8791/12]

Jonathan O'Brien (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein)
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Question 227: To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of gardaí assigned to the Anglo Irish Bank investigation who retired during February; and the number of these vacancies which remain unfulfilled; and the date on which they will be filled. [8792/12]

Jonathan O'Brien (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein)
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Question 228: To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of times the gardaí have applied to the courts, under the relevant provisions of the Criminal Justice Act 2011, to require any person with relevant information to produce documents, answer questions and provide information for the purposes of the investigation of relevant offences connected to Anglo Irish Bank. [8793/12]

Jonathan O'Brien (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein)
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Question 230: To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of files to date submitted by the gardaí to the Director of Public Prosecutions as a result of the Anglo Irish Bank investigation; the dates on which they were submitted; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8795/12]

Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 220 to 222, inclusive, 224 to 228, inclusive and 230 together.

I am informed by the Garda authorities that the investigations into Anglo Irish Bank by An Garda Síochána and the Office of the Director of Corporate Enforcement (ODCE) are ongoing with a full Investigation team employed at the Garda Bureau of Fraud Investigation.

I am further informed that as of 14 February, the current strength of the Garda Bureau of Fraud Investigation is seventy one, comprising one Superintendent, five Inspectors, fifteen Sergeants and fifty Gardaí. Twenty-six Garda personnel are engaged in the investigations into Anglo Irish Bank, comprising sixteen personnel at the Garda Bureau of Fraud Investigation, including fifteen Garda investigators and a forensic accountant as well as ten members of An Garda Síochána currently seconded to ODCE.

I am also informed that no money was paid to external consultants or forensic accountants by An Garda Síochána as part of the Anglo Irish Bank investigation.

No members of the Garda team of investigators assigned specifically to the Anglo Irish Investigation have retired during the course of the investigation and no members of the team of investigators have retired, or are due to retire, during February 2012. Following retirements in 2011 the allocation of a Chief Superintendent and a Superintendent to the Garda Bureau of Fraud Investigation have recently been announced by the Garda Commissioner, who will take up their posts with effect from 21 February 2012.

The Garda authorities have indicated that to date two investigation files were submitted by the Garda Bureau of Fraud Investigation to the Law Officers in December, 2010. A supplementary file was submitted in May 2011 and a further investigation file was forwarded in October 2011. The files remain under consideration by the Director of Public Prosecutions, and directions are awaited. Following recent developments additional information has been submitted to the Law Officers to allow the matters resting at that office be considered further.

Members of An Garda Síochána attached to the Office of the Director of Corporate Enforcement made an application under section 15, Criminal Justice Act, 2011 before Naas District Court in September, 2011. Such applications are only required in circumstances where an individual has failed, or refused without reasonable excuse, to make available documents or provide information, upon request, to An Garda Síochána and this situation has not arisen since.

In relation to the costs incurred associated with the investigation, the Garda authorities have indicated that these are payable from the overall budget allocated to the Garda Bureau of Fraud Investigation. The actual cost of this investigation, which remains ongoing, is not readily available without a disproportionate expenditure of Garda time and resources to calculate same.

The detailed deployment of Garda personnel is a matter for Garda management who inform me that they are satisfied there is sufficient personnel and technical expertise available to assist in the various aspects of ongoing investigations. I can assure the Deputy that this Government will continue to provide the necessary legislative and administrative supports for the investigations and that I attach the highest priority to the full investigation of white collar crime and bringing the perpetrators of such crime to justice.

In particular, on taking office, this Government gave priority to satisfying itself that the necessary resources, both personnel and legal, were available to the investigation. Within eight weeks of taking up office, I moved urgently to draft and seek Government approval to the introduction of additional legislation. This new legislation, the Criminal Justice Act, 2011, was enacted on 2 August.

I am being briefed on an ongoing basis on the progress of the investigations and am assured that this investigation remains an absolute priority for An Garda Síochána and that there is sufficient personnel and technical expertise available to assist in the various aspects of this ongoing investigation.