Vol. 419 No. 3
5 Mr. Davern asked the Minister for Justice if he has sought information from the former East German authorities or the former East German police regarding machines which were used in this country for forging money; if so, if he will outline to whom the printing works were given; and whether charges will be brought against the people or group that received the printer.
No information has been sought from the police or other authorities of the former German Democratic Republic regarding machines allegedly used in this country to forge money. If the Deputy has any information about such machines, I would ask that he make it available to the Garda Síochána so that the matter can be investigated.
Is it not well known that the place of manufacture of these machines was East Germany and that they came from the East German police? In view of the fact that $100 notes were printed last year during the height of the tourist season, surely it is the duty of the Garda to find out if more of these machines are being used by these people or by their illegal grouping or whatever name they use nowadays. Are such machines being used continually to produce forged notes? There have been plenty of forgeries recently of £20 notes.
The Deputy will appreciate that it is not the practice to comment on information which comes to light in the course of Garda investigations which are still in progress. I cannot therefore either confirm or deny the Deputy's allegations. The Garda file on the East Green Street counterfeiting operation is still open and the matter is still under investigation.
Can the Minister give the House any assurance that counterfeit money of this nature will not be circulated this year from the same sources which gave rise to problems in previous years?
It is always dangerous for Ministers to give guarantees about anything, except to say that the whole matter is still under investigation. I do not want to say anything that would prejudice or hamper the Garda in their continuing efforts in this matter to bring those responsible before the courts. The Garda investigation has turned up an amount of information which could be used in a prosecution or prosecutions, were they to be taken at a future date.
Has the file been referred to the DPP? While it is premature for the Minister to respond in relation to the possibility of charges being taken, could the Minister speculate if charges may arise and if the DPP is considering the facts as contained in the file?
The Garda Síochána did seek the advice of the DPP in this case and I am precluded from making any statement on the nature of that advice, in the interests of the continuing Garda investigation into the matter. I cannot say anything further. The question of prosecution is a matter for the DPP and he is independent in the execution of his office.
Would the Minister consider that this was an action taken by a single individual, an organisation or a political party?
I think I covered that rather neatly when I said that the investigation had turned up an amount of information which could be used in a prosecution or prosecutions, were they to be taken at some future date.
I respectfully suggest that Deputy Davern should purchase a lottery ticket because of out of 46 questions on the Order Paper, with two only from a Fianna Fáil backbencher, he has the top two. I wonder at the coincidence of that.
I do not think the Deputy wants me to comment on that matter.
It is an unusual bit of luck. He must have friends in good places.
