The Joint Committee on Justice to meet for Pre-Legislative Scrutiny of the General Scheme of the Proceeds of Crime (Amendment) Bill 2024

The meeting will hear from representatives from:

• Criminal Assets Bureau
• Office of the Revenue Commissioners
• An Garda Síochána
• The Bar Council of Ireland; and
• The Department of Justice

Speaking ahead of the meeting, Committee Cathaoirleach James Lawless TD said “Our meeting tomorrow will see the Committee look at the Proceeds of Crime (Amendment) Bill 2024. This bill will amend the  1996 legislation that introduced the civil non-conviction-based model used in Ireland for the confiscation of the proceeds of crime. This legislation will strengthen CAB’s ability to target the criminal assets by speeding up the process.”

New powers under the amendment will provide CAB with the option to immediately appoint a receiver in order to keep the assets out of the reach of criminals. At the moment, once the High Court has determined that an asset is a proceed of crime, it can take at least seven years before it may be ultimately confiscated and sold off; this Bill would reduce that period to two years.

The meeting can be viewed live on Oireachtas TV

Read more on the work done by the Justice Committee

Committee proceedings can also be viewed on the Houses of the Oireachtas Smartphone App, available for Apple and Android devices.