Pádraig Mac Lochlainn (Donegal North East, Sinn Fein)
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To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality his plans to introduce new legislation regarding white collar crime. [52821/12]

Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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I can assure the Deputy that I attach the highest priority to the investigation of white collar crime and to ensuring that An Garda Síochána has the necessary legislative and other supports to do so effectively. Accordingly, and very shortly after taking up office, I moved urgently to introduce new legislation, the Criminal Justice Act 2011, which provides vital assistance to An Garda Síochána in the completion of current and future white collar crime investigations. The main purpose of the Act is to facilitate the more effective investigation of white collar crime and to reduce associated delays. In this regard, the Act provides for new procedures to facilitate Garda access to essential information and documentation to assist in the investigation of white collar crime.

I am pursuing other measures in the form of the Criminal Justice (Corruption) Bill which, when enacted, will clarify and strengthen the law on corruption. The General Scheme of the Bill is being considered by the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality prior to formal drafting by the Office of the Parliamentary Counsel to the Government. The Bill will replace and update existing offences relating to giving or receiving bribes in both the public and private sectors. It will also introduce new offences in relation to corrupt influence peddling. The recommendations of the Mahon Tribunal have been taken into account in provisions to be contained in the Bill such as a new offence of making payments knowingly or recklessly to a third party who intends to use them as bribes.

I am briefed on an ongoing basis by the Garda Commissioner on the progress of the major white collar crime investigations which are underway and the Commissioner is also aware that any further legislative proposals which he feels would assist in the investigation and detection of white collar crime, or of fraud offences generally, will be positively considered by me.