Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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As the Deputy will appreciate, the Garda Commissioner is responsible under the law for the management and administration of An Garda Síochána, including any decisions in relation to the allocation and control of Garda equipment and resources. As Minister for Justice, I have no direct role in these matters.

I am informed the Garda Mounted Unit is based at Áras an Úachtaráin, Phoenix Park, Dublin 8 and has a national remit under the direction and control of Assistant Commissioner, Organised and Serious Crime and the operational control of Detective Chief Superintendent, Operational Support Services.

I am advised there are currently 13 horses attached to the Garda Mounted Unit and that presently, there are no plans to purchase additional horses in 2024.

I am further advised that the retirement of a horse can however be unforeseen and in that regard, it can not be stated with absolute certainty that funding for a new horse(s) will not become applicable throughout 2024. Historically, funding is made available to purchase horses as the need arises when a horse is retired and a new one is required.

Peadar Tóibín (Meath West, Aontú)
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359. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the amount of money seized by the Criminal Assets Bureau in each of the past 15 years and to date in 2023. [50575/23]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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As the Deputy will be aware, the Criminal Assets Bureau (CAB) is a multi-agency statutory body established under the Criminal Assets Bureau Act 1996.

The Bureau’s remit is to target a person's assets, wherever situated, which derive, or are suspected to derive, directly or indirectly, from criminal conduct.

Since its inception, the Bureau has been at the forefront of fighting organised crime in this jurisdiction and disrupting the activities of criminal gangs by depriving them of ill-gotten assets.

Under the Criminal Assets Bureau Act 1996, the Chief Bureau Officer is responsible for the administration and business of the Criminal Assets Bureau. Under the Act, the Chief Bureau Officer is responsible to the Commissioner of An Garda Síochána for these functions. As Minister for Justice, I have no direct role in these functions.

I am advised by CAB that the table below outlines the monetary value of financial assets (money seized and moneys frozen in financial institutions) seized by the Criminal Assets Bureau for the years 2012 – 2022. The Criminal Assets Bureau did not record monetary value by asset type prior to 2012. The figures for 2023 have not yet been compiled and will be outlined in the CAB Annual Report 2023.

The large increase in 2019 is due to the granting of a freezing order over cryptocurrency to the value of €53,023,140.

Peadar Tóibín (Meath West, Aontú)
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360. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the monetary value of assets seized by the Criminal Assets Bureau in each of the past 15 years, and to date in 2023. [50576/23]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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As the Deputy will be aware, the Criminal Assets Bureau (CAB) is a multi-agency statutory body established under the Criminal Assets Bureau Act 1996.

The Bureau’s remit is to target a person's assets, wherever situated, which derive, or are suspected to derive, directly or indirectly, from criminal conduct.

Since its inception, the Bureau has been at the forefront of fighting organised crime in this jurisdiction and disrupting the activities of criminal gangs by depriving them of ill-gotten assets.

Under the Criminal Assets Bureau Act 1996, the Chief Bureau Officer is responsible for the administration and business of the Criminal Assets Bureau. Under the Act, the Chief Bureau Officer is responsible to the Commissioner of An Garda Síochána for these functions. As Minister for Justice, I have no direct role in these functions.

I am advised by CAB that the table below outlines the monetary value of assets seized by the Criminal Assets Bureau for the years 2008 – 2022. The figures for 2023 have not yet been compiled and will be outlined in the CAB Annual Report 2023.

The large increase in 2019 is due to the granting of a freezing order over cryptocurrency to the value of €53,023,140.

Peadar Tóibín (Meath West, Aontú)
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361. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the amount in monetary value returned to the Exchequer by the Criminal Assets Bureau in each of the past 15 years and to date in 2023. [50577/23]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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As the Deputy will be aware, the Criminal Assets Bureau (CAB) is a multi-agency statutory body established under the Criminal Assets Bureau Act 1996.

The Bureau’s remit is to target a person's assets, wherever situated, which derive, or are suspected to derive, directly or indirectly, from criminal conduct.

Since its inception, the Bureau has been at the forefront of fighting organised crime in this jurisdiction and disrupting the activities of criminal gangs by depriving them of ill-gotten assets.

Under the Criminal Assets Bureau Act 1996, the Chief Bureau Officer is responsible for the administration and business of the Criminal Assets Bureau. Under the Act, the Chief Bureau Officer is responsible to the Commissioner of An Garda Síochána for these functions. As Minister for Justice, I have no direct role in these functions.

I am advised by CAB that the table below outlines the amount in monetary value returned to the Exchequer by CAB for the years 2008 – 2022 and to date in 2023. Figures for 2023 are considered provisional pending the publication of the CAB Annual Report 2023.