Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 11 July 2023
545. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Justice the extent to which the CAB continues to have adequate resources available to ensure its continued effectiveness against organised crime; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34353/23]
View answerAs the Deputy may be aware, the Criminal Assets Bureau (CAB) is a statutory body with staff drawn from An Garda Síochána, the Office of the Revenue Commissioners (including Customs), the Department of Social Protection and the Department of Justice.
Under the Criminal Assets Bureau Act 1996, the Chief Bureau Officer is responsible for the management and control of the administration and business of the Criminal Assets Bureau, including the staffing of the 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, nor can I comment on them.
As evident in the almost 13% increase in funding since 2021, the Government is committed to ensuring that adequate resources are provided to support the work of the Criminal Assets Bureau in targeting the proceeds of crime. Resourcing requirements for 2024 will be determined as part of the normal Estimates process.
The Bureau’s remit is to target the assets, wherever situated, of persons 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, disrupting the activities of criminal gangs through the removal of their ill-gotten gains and has been recognised as a world leader in asset investigations, tracing and forfeiture.
The Bureau works closely with Gardaí and all law enforcement agencies at national and international levels and continues to focus its efforts on targeting assets deriving from all types of criminal conduct.
I am advised by the Bureau that figures relating to asset recovery under the Proceeds of Crime Acts by CAB for the years 1996 to 2021 are available publicly in the annual reports published on the Bureau's website:
www.cab.ie/annual-reports/.
