Report on Politically Exposed Persons: Motion
Dail Éireann — 2024-04-25
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Ruairí Ó Murchú (SF), Louth

We are all very glad of the work that has been done by the joint committee in respect of politically exposed persons. We could all tell stories about the impact of the nuisance on us from banks and so on, but I do not think anyone is interested in listening to politicians saying how hard a life they have. A number of people, including the Ceann Comhairle, have summed up how what we do impacts on our wider families. We all support the European directive, but we have an issue with its application. We need to make sure that stuff like this is scrutinised to a better degree and that it actually works. As Deputy Conway-Walsh said, the fact is that while we can apply these rules, we are not necessarily getting to the bottom of the wider issues that have existed with corruption and money laundering. We all know the issues in society.
Given the week that is in it, certain communities have seen themselves as being outside of the establishment and without power. Those in power have all the control, and people can be treated in a really abysmal way. We would all commend the bravery of the Stardust families. They showed sometimes what it took to stand up against the Government and this State. They are the particular issues that we obviously need to deal with. We need to make matters easier for those who have been wronged. We need to ensure that fewer wrongs occur but that where they do occur, there is acceptance of this and we move on and try to build a better society for all of our citizens.
The Ceann Comhairle spoke about the impact this had on members of his family, with people being made to jump over many obstacles when it came to kids working and their credit union accounts being impacted. We need to get to the heart of the issue of money laundering. Across society, we know the issues with organised crime. We know the issues we have with drug dealers, who have communities on their knees. We know the families that come to us and to the Garda from time to time, and some that do not go to anybody, about drug debt intimidation. We know that is happening across society to a significant degree, because there is substantial money in it. Sometimes the people we are dealing with are those who are being impacted by the street dealer, the mid-level dealer, the street thug or even sometimes just by chaotic characters who are used and abused by drug dealers but who cause significant harm in communities.
We know that neither the councils, the Garda nor anyone else have the resources or powers to deal with all these issues. We need to get a hell of a lot better at dealing with those who are at the top of the pyramid. In my town, people have had properties taken off them.
It is brilliant to see. Previously, the bad examples were visible to everyone. They showed how people could make and keep money and have a great life on the backs of their neighbours and communities. It makes a difference when the Criminal Assets Bureau and the other forces of the State take action against these people.
I accept that we are in a different world now. Twenty years ago, someone might have been able to name a dozen drug dealers. These days, he or she could probably sit down and draw up a list of 200 or 300 for every major town. They range from big players down to what are sometimes vulnerable idiots who nevertheless cause great harm to communities, addicts and many families.
I agree with what has been said. The directive's application is sometimes impacting negatively, including on people whom it should not relate to at all, but we need to get real in dealing with what is a scourge throughout society. I am not talking about relying on the Criminal Assets Bureau or the Garda. We need to consider more novel means for dealing with the scourge of drugs. We need to deal with the issues that are impacting on people.

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Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/dail/2024-04-25/debate/main
Retrieved: 2026-08-14T04:52:52+00:00
Sitting date: 2024-04-25