Vol. 478 No. 5
116 Mr. O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Justice the steps, if any, she has taken to ensure that criminals suspected of having availed of the tax amnesty for money laundering purposes are now being pursued by the Criminal Assets Bureau; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [11653/97]
The objectives of the Criminal Assets Bureau include the taking of appropriate action to deprive persons of assets suspected to derive from criminal activity. Part of the bureau's remit is to ensure that the Tax Acts are fully applied in relation to the proceeds of criminal activity. Income and gains from illegal sources were specifically excluded from the 1993 incentive amnesty and the declaration to be filed by an individual availing of the amnesty included an undertaking that the declared amounts did not arise from, or by reason of, an unlawful source of activity. The Criminal Assets Bureau has the relevant powers needed to fully apply the Tax Acts and to pursue the penalties provided for where there is evidence of abuse of the tax amnesty.
