Jonathan O'Brien (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

96. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality her plans for the reform of legislation governing the Criminal Assets Bureau. [14322/16]

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The Programme for a Partnership Government contains a commitment to review the existing Proceeds of Crime legislation.

An Expert Group was established under the auspices of the Department of Justice to review the Proceeds of Crime legislation with a view to identifying possible improvements which would serve to enhance the powers of the Bureau. Work on the preparation of proposals arising from the work of the Expert Group for consultation with the Office of the Attorney General is continuing and a final report will be prepared in due course.

The Deputy may however wish to note that as part of the Government approved proposals to strengthen the measures in place to target organised crime is a proposal to provide the Criminal Assets Bureau with a power of administrative restraint reflecting one of the measures under examination by the Expert Group. In addition, it is further proposed to reduce the threshold which applies under the Proceeds of Crime Act 1996 from €13,000 to €5,000. These proposals will form part of a package of measures to effect immediate changes in this area that would be particularly effective in helping to target organised crime activity.