FF Government denied resources to fight white collar crime

[myk]

Apologies if there is already a thread on this.

This is from today's Irish Independent.

Meanwhile, the Opposition went on the attack last night over the Government's failure to sanction 20 additional staff for the Director of Corporate Enforcement when he sought them in 2005.

[COLOR=black]Tanaiste and Enterprise Minister Mary Coughlan admitted that it took two years for the request to be reviewed.[/COLOR]
[COLOR=black][/COLOR]
[COLOR=black]At that stage only eight additional staff and one additional garda detective were assigned to the director.[/COLOR]
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[COLOR=black]Fine Gael Enterprise spokesman Leo Varadkar claimed the revelation showed Fianna Fail had a soft stance on corporate crime.[/COLOR]
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[COLOR=black]"Fianna Fail ministers have repeatedly refused requests from the Office of the Director of Corporate Enforcement for extra staff and more resources in its fight against white-collar crime," said Mr Varadkar.[/COLOR]
[COLOR=black]The Tanaiste said she would be "sympathetic to any reasonable request for additional resources" which Mr Appleby may need to complete the Anglo Irish investigation[/COLOR].

Key 'golden circle' files seized in Anglo swoop - National News, Frontpage - Independent.ie

[He3]

The Indo is slowly catching up. This has been a topic here since February 14th. How long ago St Valentine's Day seems now.

http://www.politics.ie/justice/45664...-fail-did.html

[Dios]

The Indo is slowly catching up. This has been a topic here since February 14th. How long ago St Valentine's Day seems now.

http://www.politics.ie/justice/45664...-fail-did.html

Indeed, its a very good idea to pay keen attention to the health of the canaries at the coalface of p.ie and various other online forums in Ireland!

[FakeViking]

Well this should be no surprise when you consider the previous leadership of FF, and think that the outgoing incumbent's own brother and running mate have had issues relating to tax evasion and corruption.

Pity we don't grow bananas instead of spuds.

[Thac0man]

Well this should be no surprise when you consider the previous leadership of FF, and think that the outgoing incumbent's own brother and running mate have had issues relating to tax evasion and corruption.

Pity we don't grow bananas instead of spuds.

... and lets not forget a sitting FF TD who facilited massive tax evasion.

Seriously, when that TD did not face a single legal sanction, alarm bells should have been ringing about the lack of will and enforcement.

[myk]

Documents revealed under the Freedom of Information Act to RTÉ in 2007 showed that Appleby had been seeking more resources since 2005 (Harney was by then Minister for Health) and considered the staffing he had to be “wholly inadequate”. He was seeking 20 more staff, including more gardaí.

When the matter was raised in the Dáil, the then Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern, seemed to become annoyed. “It is not that Mr Appleby’s work is not considered important . . . He has 36 , so it seems extraordinary that he could want another 20 . . . One would not receive such an increase in any department . . . He will have to wait his turn.”

Eventually, eight more staff were assigned, and came into place at the beginning of this year. In the Dáil this week, Leo Varakar of Fine Gael returned to this issue of the refusal to grant Appleby’s requests for more staff.

“The Government’s decision to starve the ODCE of essential resources proves further that Fianna Fáil is too close to many vested interests in its Galway tent. Its negligence on white collar crime has now brought this country to the brink.”

The corporate enforcer - The Irish Times - Sat, Feb 28, 2009