Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Social Democrats)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

530. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the resources available to the National Economic Crime Bureau; the personnel strength of the bureau by rank and civilian grade; the number of external expert consultants on retainer or engaged by the bureau in the past three years; the number of cases the bureau has closed off in the past five years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13474/19]

Charles Flanagan (Laois, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

As the Deputy will appreciate, the distribution of personnel is a matter for the Garda Commissioner and I, as Minister have no direct role in the matter. I am assured by the Commissioner that Garda personnel assigned throughout the country, together with overall policing arrangements and operational strategies, are continually monitored and reviewed. Such monitoring ensures that optimum use is made of Garda Resources and the best possible Garda service is provided to the general public.

I am informed by the Garda Commissioner that the Garda National Economic Crime Bureau (GNECB) (formerly the Garda Bureau of Fraud Investigation) was established on 1 September 2016. The Bureau has dedicated expert staff, including professional forensic accountants, to address white collar and other fraud and economic crimes, and includes the restructured Garda Cyber Crime Bureau, the Money-laundering Investigation Unit and a new Foreign Bribery and Corruption Unit.

I am further informed by the Commissioner that as of 31 January 2019, the latest date for which figures are available, there were 63 Garda and 17 Garda civilian staff assigned to the GNECB.

The Commissioner also advises that Garda management within the Bureau are working with local Garda management, at District and Divisional levels, to ensure the necessary tools and training are provided to enable and empower District and Divisional resources to investigate cases of economic crime at that level, with advice and guidance available from within the Bureau. The Bureau is now also placing a greater emphasis on ensuring that economic crime of lesser amounts that are currently reported to the Bureau are assessed and transmitted to District Officers for investigation, with more complex cases, routinely involving significant amounts, being investigated by the Bureau.

For the Deputy’s information I have set out in tabular form the number of Gardaí by rank and civilians by grade attached to the Garda National Economic Crime Bureau as of 31 January 2019 the latest date for which figures are currently available, as supplied by the Commissioner.

I have requested the information sought by the Deputy from the Garda Commissioner in relation to the number of external expert consultants on retainer or engaged by the bureau in the past three years and the number of cases the bureau has closed off in the past five years, I will write to the Deputy on receipt of same.

Strength Of The Garda National Economic Crime Bureau by rank - formerly Garda Bureau of Fraud Investigation

*Up to 31 January 2019

Civilian Strength by grade in the Economic Crime Bureau – formerly Garda Bureau of Fraud Investigation

*Up to 31 January 2019