Pearse Doherty
Ceist:83. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance for an update on his Department's strategy regarding financial scams and fraud; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22791/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraTuesday, 21 May 2024
Ceisteanna (83)
Freagraí scríofa
As Minister for Finance I have no supervisory or investigative role in relation to fraud which is a criminal offence and falls under the remit of the Minister for Justice.
However, my Department is drafting a National Payment Strategy (NPS) that, inter alia, is considering actions to prevent fraud, which is a critical issue and something that was not considered in the 2013 National Payments Plan. While EU legislation governs much of the payments area it is important that the NPS examines payment fraud to identify further preventative domestic measures.
On the 12th December 2023, I launched a public consultation seeking stakeholder’s views on the NPS for Ireland. Also, my Department held a workshop in May to hear from stakeholders in the payments system. This provided an opportunity to present the findings of the consultation as well as discuss next steps on what could be done to limit the impacts of fraud on consumers and businesses. My Department will develop the NPS and the respective actions to be published by the end of 2024.
Also, ‘the Hamilton Report’ published by the Minister for Justice in 2020, contained recommendations focusing primarily on legislative, structural, and resourcing measures to enhance the capacity of multi-agency enforcement and the prevention of corruption and white-collar crime, including fraud. It also recommended the creation of the Advisory Council Against Economic Crime and Corruption, established by Government in 2022. The Council is currently drafting a national strategy on economic crime and Anti-Corruption. The creation of the Advisory Council and the NPS illustrates the whole-of-government commitment to tackling all forms of economic crime, including fraud.