Written answers

Wednesday, 27 March 2013

Department of Justice and Equality

Proposed Legislation

Photo of Willie O'DeaWillie O'Dea (Limerick City, Fianna Fail)
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To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality the steps being taken and legislation planned to make it more difficult for crime gangs to be involved in illegal activity involving smuggling, laundering and counterfeiting as outlined in the report Tackling the Black Market and Retail Crime (details supplied); if he will form an inter-Departmental group to deal with this matter; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15389/13]

Photo of Alan ShatterAlan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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As I have previously informed the House I am aware of the Report to which the Deputy refers and of its findings.

Of course, as Minister for Justice and Equality, I am also acutely aware of the involvement of organised crime groups in the activities referred to by the Deputy.

As highlighted in the Report, crime of this nature has very negative repercussions for the State in terms of the adverse impact on the legitimate retail sector, the loss of significant tax revenues and the potentially harmful consequences for consumers.

While the lead role in investigating this type of crime primarily rests with the Revenue Commissioners, in the context of the investigation of revenue offences occasioning significant financial losses to the Exchequer, it is the case that there are significant multi-agency law enforcement efforts already underway targeting such activity.

In particular, I would draw the Deputy's attention to the multi-agency cooperation initiatives that have been established with colleagues in Northern Ireland to target much of the activity referred to on an all island basis. I refer, in particular, to the cross border task forces in place to specifically target the distribution of illegal fuels and tobacco products.

These task forces comprise representatives from the PSNI, HM Revenue Customs, Serious Organised Crime Agency (UK), the Revenue Commissioners, An Garda Síochána and the Criminal Assets Bureau and have had considerable successes in tackling this form of criminality.

With regard to the question of further legislative proposals, the Deputy will appreciate that primary legislation concerning revenue offences does not fall under the remit of my Department. Having said that, I can inform the Deputy that in the context of reviewing the overall legislative response in place to tackle organised crime, my Department is currently undertaking a specific review of the provisions of the Criminal Justice (Amendment) Act 2009 to see if its provisions can be strengthened and the views of the Garda Commissioner have been sought in this regard.

Finally, while I note that the Report calls for the establishment of an interdepartmental group, under the auspices of the Department of an Taoiseach, to deal with fraud affecting the retail trade, I am satisfied that the existing structures for achieving multi-agency co-operation represent the most effective approach.

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