Clare Daly (Dublin Fingal, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

115. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality her proposals to establish a mini-Criminal Assets Bureau. [14759/16]

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

As the Deputy may be aware the Programme for a Partnership Government contains a commitment to examine how communities can better engage with the Criminal Assets Bureau including provision of information on the suspected local use of the proceeds of crime and the potential of a smaller Criminal Assets bureau being established to target regional assets.

This work will now be brought forward by my Department in consultation with the Criminal Assets Bureau and An Garda Síochána and will include an examination of the legal framework underpinning the work of the Bureau.

By way of background, it is worth recalling that the Bureau was established as a national multi-disciplinary agency specialising in the targeting of proceeds of crime. There are very practical advantages to having such expertise located in one dedicated unit with the requisite authority to act on a national basis, particularly in a relatively small jurisdiction such as ours.

To achieve nationwide coverage, the Criminal Assets Bureau has for some considerable time maintained a presence in each of the Garda Divisions through the operation of the Divisional Assets Profiler Programme.

Under this Programme asset profilers are providing a criminal asset profiling service across the Garda Divisions in relation to persons or suspects operating within the area, with particular reference to those involved in serious and organised crime. The Bureau utilises the local knowledge supplied to it by the asset profilers which allows the Bureau to target the proceeds of crime in local communities. They also assist the Bureau with preparatory groundwork in advance of a full investigation and have recourse to the expertise and advice of the Bureau.

As at end April 2016 the number of trained Garda Asset Profilers is 200 plus 15 Revenue Customs and 3 Social Protection trained asset profilers making a total of 218 operating throughout the country.