Crime « Thurles Information

Criminal Assets Bureau Annual Report 2021 Published.

Minister for Justice Helen McEntee has today published the Criminal Assets Bureau (CAB) 2021 Annual Report.

The 2021 report marks the 25th anniversary of the establishment of CAB and the positive figures included in the report highlight the success of the Bureau in tackling organised crime to date.

Between 1996 and 2021, a total of €204 million has been returned to the exchequer, comprising €165 million in tax settlements, €33 million in proceeds of crime and €6 million in Social Welfare recoupments. Over 360 Proceeds of Crime cases have been brought to the Courts, involving almost €170 million in assets.

The 2021 report shows that in the year 2021 CAB returned in excess of €5.5 million to the Exchequer, which comprised of €4.4 million in Revenue Settlements, €1.14 million in Proceeds of Crime and €0.364 million in Social Welfare recoveries.

On publishing the report, Minister McEntee said: “CAB has been a vital tool in our arsenal in the fight against organised crime. CAB hits criminals where it hurts – in their pockets – by targeting the ill-gotten gains of criminal conduct.

In 2021, the 25th anniversary of the Bureau, over €5.5 million was returned to the exchequer. I am also pleased to note the recovery and return in one notable instance of €5.4 million to six defrauded injured parties.

Earlier this year I launched the Community Safety Innovation Fund Scheme which will reinvest proceeds of crime seized by CAB back into the communities that need it.

We are also looking at how best to support CAB in its important work – last year my department completed a review which presented a number of recommendations.

One which I am intending to pursue as a priority is reducing the timeframe for the making of a ‘disposal order’.
At the moment, once the High Court has determined that an asset is a ‘proceed of crime’, it can take a further seven years before it may be ultimately confiscated.
My intention is to substantially reduce the statutory timeframe before a ‘Disposal Order’ can be made. Reducing this period would mean that those who generate criminal assets cannot benefit from them for extended periods.
This would send a message to those involved in organised criminality that they will not be allowed to enjoy the profits of their illegal activity, and it will show communities that we take organised crime extremely seriously.

I also want to give CAB the power to publish the names and specified details of tax defaulters who have made settlements with the Bureau.
Subject to the advice of the Attorney General I hope to be in a position to finalise a General Scheme for new legislation to progress these proposals and others by the end of the year.”

The Criminal Asset Bureau Annual Report 2021 can be accessed in full HERE.

53 New Gardaí attested At Passing-Out Parade in Templemore, Today

53 Gardaí attested today at in-person ceremony, bringing to approximately 370 the number of newly attested members this year.
25% of new recruits are women while 15% were born outside of Ireland.

Minister for Justice, Mrs Helen McEntee TD, today, July 8th, 2022, attended the passing-out ceremony at Templemore, to welcome and congratulate 53 newly-attested Garda members.

The new Garda members will now be assigned to Garda Divisions throughout the country.

Speaking at the attestation ceremony today, Minister McEntee stated: “It is a pleasure to see such a strong, diverse and vibrant group of new Gardaí passing out today. I would like to congratulate the newest members who join the almost 300 Gardaí who have already attested this year.

An Garda Síochána is a cornerstone of our democracy. Day in day out, we trust its members to maintain the security of the State, to protect our people, and to ensure that we can go about our daily lives in a peaceful country.

In doing their work, Gardaí have the full support of the Government. The budget provided by this Government to the Garda Commissioner continues to increase to unprecedented levels, with an allocation of over €2 billion for 2022, which is enabling sustained, ongoing recruitment of Garda members and staff.

In addition, my Department is working on legislative developments to assist and support An Garda Síochána as they look to the next 100 years of policing in Ireland”.

Of the 53 new Garda members attesting today, 13 are women, while 8 were born outside the State, from England to Poland, Iraq, Mauritius, amongst others.

Minister McEntee added: “It is particularly heartening to share this day with the new recruits in the centenary year of An Garda Síochána.

I am pleased to see that the significant efforts of Commissioner Drew Harris and the wider Garda organisation to encourage diversity amongst its members are paying off. It is vital that everyone in our society sees members of their own communities serving in An Garda Síochána.

The diverse interest in recent recruitment campaigns shows that a career in An Garda Síochána is one that appeals to many – I hope for you all here today that it will be a career that is exciting, challenging and fulfilling.
You will help and protect people in their most vulnerable hours and at their most difficult times. As a country we owe you a debt of gratitude for the deep commitment to public service you have made in joining An Garda Síochána.

Go n-éirí an t-ádh libh le bhur ngairmeacha amach anseo – go raibh míle maith agaibh as an gcinneadh seo a dhéanamh, chun oibre le pobail chun iad a chosaint agus chun freastal orthu”.
[Translation Irish to English – Good luck with your future careers – thank you so much for making this decision, to work with communities to protect and serve them.]

Launch of Forensic Science Ireland’s Annual Report 2021

Almost 24,000 cases processed by FSI in 2021.
Assisted in the identification of 13 unidentified human remains.
Worked with An Garda Síochána on 15 serious crime reviews, dating as far back as 1985.

The Minister for Justice, Mrs Helen McEntee TD, welcomes the launch of the 2021 Annual Report of Forensic Science Ireland (FSI).

A key feature of the 2021 Annual Report is the substantial increase in the demand for the services of FSI over the past 3 years. FSI has grown its services over the same period, with an increase in DNA & Biological Analysis services provided (increased by 54%), growth in the number of drugs reports issued (increased by 35%) and the integration of Fingerprint and Documents & Handwriting investigations into FSI.

Minister McEntee stated: “FSI’s forensic science services provides invaluable support to An Garda Síochána in the investigation of crime. Their work is often instrumental in assessing and confirming evidence to ensure that those who are guilty of crimes are brought to justice.
I would like to thank Director General Chris Enright and the team of Forensic Science Ireland for their tremendous work throughout a challenging 2021. FSI again remained open through all stages of the COVID restrictions, processing almost 24,000 cases – an increase of 85% compared to 2018″.

FSI’s support for European cooperation in criminal investigations and border control have also grown over the course of the 2021. FSI is now exchanging DNA data with 11 countries under the Prüm Decision, after connecting with Germany, France and Malta in 2021.

The Minister added: “The progress in construction of FSI’s purpose built forensic facility at the Backweston Science Campus is very encouraging. The building is planned for completion in the coming months and will create avenues to grow and expand forensic services for the State. I very much look forward to the opening of the new facility”.

The FSI Annual Report 2021 can be accessed HERE.

Government approve proposal to expand Garda Liaison Officer Network.

Minister McEntee welcomes Government approval of proposal to expand Garda Liaison Officer Network.

Minister for Justice Mrs Helen McEntee TD has received Government approval for the expansion of the Garda Liaison Officer Network.
Following a request from Garda Commissioner Mr Drew Harris to the Minister, this expansion will involve:

Creation of two new posts for Garda Liaison Officers, one in Abu Dhabi, with responsibility for the Middle East region, and the second in Bangkok, with responsibility for the South-East Asia/Australasia region.
Assignment of an assistant liaison officer to Washington who will support the operation of the current Garda Liaison Officer (GLO) post in the North American Region.
Temporary assignment of two Garda members to assist the French National Police and Gendarmerie during July and August 2022.

Minister McEntee said, “We have seen the importance of international law enforcement coalitions in recent months as, through collaboration and cooperation with their partners, An Garda Síochána have enjoyed success in pursuing Irish criminals abroad, such as the Kinahan Organised Crime Group.
Some criminals may think that they can evade justice by leaving Ireland but these law enforcement coalitions demonstrate that they cannot.
And given the increasingly transnational nature of organised crime and terrorism, the Garda Liaison Officer Network plays an important role in realising An Garda Síochána’s commitment to tackle these twin issues.
They engage with local and regional law enforcement agencies regarding the activities and movement of Irish nationals or people linked to Ireland who An Garda Síochána, and potentially their colleague police services, have an interest in.
The new GLOs will be crucial in assisting An Garda Síochána in pursuing criminals who spread misery here in Ireland, as well as abroad”.

GLO positions are currently situated in Madrid, Paris, London, The Hague, Washington DC and Bogota.

Garda members at the rank of Sergeant, Inspector and Superintendent have been assigned to these positions, which are based in the Irish embassies as part of the Irish diplomatic mission in those countries.

Minister McEntee continued, “This is the second expansion of the Network in the past two years following the creation of the Washington and Bogota posts in 2020. These expansions follow a review of the Network which recommended the creation of five new regional GLO posts.
These new positions will be important for enhancing the security of the state and strengthening An Garda Síochána’s relationships with police services overseas.
The deployment of Garda Liaison Officers to date has proven to be an effective and practical form of interagency cooperation between police services and has supported the exchange of information and the coordination of operations across borders.
This expansion will see the Network break new ground by expanding into the Middle-East and South-East Asia/Australasia while also supplementing the existing operations in North America and Europe”.

Oireachtas Approves Acts To Combat Terrorism & Organised Crime.

Oireachtas approves renewal of acts to combat terrorism and organised crime

The Minister for Justice, Mrs Helen McEntee TD, has moved Oireachtas resolutions for the renewal of important legislation aimed at combatting terrorism and serious organised crime.

The Offences against the State (Amendment) Act 1998, which was enacted in the aftermath of the Omagh bombing, makes amendments to the Offences against the State Acts 1939-1985, the State’s main body of counter-terrorist legislation, and created new substantive offences.

The Criminal Justice (Amendment) Act, 2009 was enacted to put in place certain additional legislative measures to tackle organised crime. Among those measures was section 8 which provides that certain organised crime offences are scheduled offences and accordingly shall be tried in the Special Criminal Court, unless the Director of Public Prosecutions otherwise directs.

Both Acts provide that certain provisions shall cease to be in operation unless a Resolution had been passed by each House of the Oireachtas resolving that those provisions should continue in operation for a further 12 months.

The Dáil and Seanad agreed to renew, for a further year, the relevant provisions of both Acts until June 29th 2023.

In addition, there is an ongoing independent expert review of the Offences Against the State Acts and a final report from the Group is expected this autumn.

During the Oireachtas debates the Minister outlined that the threat from dissident paramilitaries remains, that as an open democracy Ireland is not immune from the threat from international terrorism and as such the continuation of the provisions was necessary. The Minister also thanked the members of the Independent Review Group for their ongoing work on reviewing the Offences Against the State Acts, and looked forward to engaging with any recommendations in their final report, expected this autumn.

The Minister stated : “There remains a real and persistent threat from paramilitary groups … It is imperative that our laws and our authorities are properly equipped to deal with the threat.

These groups remain committed to violence and are contemptuous of the vast majority of the people on this island, latter who wish to live their lives in peace.

It is my firm view that the provisions I am seeking renewal of today are important in supporting An Garda Síochána in their efforts to investigate, disrupt and dismantle the activities of terrorists.

Further in relation to organised crime and acknowledging the work of the Gardaí, the Minister said:
“Organised criminal groups have no regard for the rule of law and supporting the great work of An Garda Síochána in tackling organised crime remains a priority for the Government.

The Government is fully committed to giving An Garda Síochána the necessary resources to continue the work of combatting those involved in organised crime. As Minister for Justice, I want to acknowledge that work. An Garda Síochána continue to make significant seizures of drugs and firearms; they continue to bring organised criminals to justice and importantly they continue to prevent further loss of life.

The clear view of the Garda Commissioner, Mr Drew Harris, is that the continued operation of these provisions is required, and I fully support his view”.