Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 17 November 2010
52 Deputy Joe Costello asked the Minister for Justice and Law Reform if he is a member of the recently established Cabinet Committee on White Collar Crime; the number of meetings held to date; the membership and terms of reference of the committee; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43006/10]
Amharc ar fhreagraEarlier this year I sought the views of the Garda Commissioner, in light of experience gained in current and past investigations of white collar crime, on what changes in the law which might be beneficial in this area. The Commissioner's report contained a number of proposals which have implications for various areas of the law.
The Deputy will appreciate that I am precluded from giving details of discussions which have taken place at Government on the subject of white collar crime, but I can tell him that a Group of Ministers — myself, the Minister for Finance, the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Innovation and the Minister for the Environment — as well as the Attorney General have met with the remit of considering the report from the Garda Commissioner and general issues relating to white collar crime. We have issued directions to our Secretaries General and Director General about taking forward these matters and reporting back to the group.
It may also be of interest to the Deputy that I published a discussion document entitled Organised and White Collar Crime on 22 October, 2010, as part of the consultation process leading to a White Paper on Crime. This followed consultations with other relevant Departments.
My colleagues and I, both in the format of the Group which has been established, as well as bilaterally and at Government, will, of course, continue to pursue these issues.
