Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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118. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality if the Criminal Assets Bureau has successfully prosecuted and convicted various criminal elements over the past eight years; if funds have been recovered for the taxpayer; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3441/16]

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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The statutory remit of the Criminal Assets Bureau is set out in the Criminal Assets Bureau Acts 1996 and 2005.

In summary, the Bureau's objectives are to identify the assets of persons which derive or are suspected to derive from criminal conduct and to deny or to deprive those persons of the assets or the benefits of such assets.

With regard to the prosecution of offences, as the Deputy will appreciate the prosecution of offences is a matter for the Director of Public Prosecutions. On occasion the Bureau does investigate criminal matters which may result in criminal prosecutions, although this is not its primary function.

In accordance with section 21 of the Criminal Assets Bureau Act 1996, an annual report on the activities of the Criminal Assets Bureau is prepared and laid before the Houses of the Oireachtas.

Included in these reports are details of all monies returned by the Bureau for the benefit of the Exchequer and the number of applications made by the Bureau under the provisions of the Proceeds of Crime Act, the Tax Code, the Social Welfare Code and the Criminal Code. I am further informed that in circumstances where criminal prosecutions have been taken the Bureau has endeavoured to outline such cases in its Annual Reports.

The Annual Reports of the Bureau are publicly available documents and are published on the Department's website at www.justice.ie.