Robert Dowds (Dublin Mid West, Labour)
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Question 194: To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality if, or not any financial proceeds from seizures by CAB in relation to corrupt payments relating to planning matters could be ring-fenced for the communities in which the corrupt planning decisions were made, particularly the Clondalkin, Lucan and Palmerstown areas of Dublin. [21042/12]

Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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All monies collected by the Criminal Assets Bureau are returned to the Exchequer in accordance with the provisions of the Proceeds of Crime Acts 1996 and 2005.

Such funds are paid into the Government's Central Fund, from which the Government draws for expenditure on all necessary public services and investment.

From time to time, it is has been suggested that such monies should be used to fund community programmes in those areas considered worst affected by certain criminal activity.

However, while this is a matter on which my Department has previously consulted with the Department of Finance and it has been accepted that there may be some symbolic value in the suggestion, it is considered problematic and raises a number of practical difficulties.

A policy of ringfencing monies obtained by the Exchequer and the reallocation of same for a specific purpose runs contrary to the normal Estimates process. While allowing for a very small number of very specific targeted exceptions, it is believed that earmarking revenues for a specific expenditure programme would, in general, constrain the Government in the implementation of its overall expenditure policy.

In addition, given the variable and uncertain nature of the value of the assets seized by the Bureau in any given year, in addition to the potential delays through the possibility of legal challenge to court disposal orders, the provision of ongoing funds to community projects would be problematic. Such a revenue source would not facilitate the proper planning of such projects.

I can inform the Deputy that there is currently no plan to change the existing arrangements concerning monies accumulated by the Criminal Assets Bureau.