New powers for CAB as Minister for Justice Jim O’Callaghan strengthens State’s ability to seize criminal assets

• Bill will strengthen CAB powers and reduce delays
• enables immediate possession of assets
• 7 year waiting period cut to 2 years before final disposal
• new powers to freeze bank accounts so criminal money cannot be hidden

The Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration Jim O’Callaghan has today received government approval to strengthen the State’s ability to identify, freeze and confiscate assets linked to serious and organised crime.

The Proceeds of Crime and Related Matters Bill 2025, which was approved by Cabinet today (8 July) represents the most significant update to Ireland’s civil asset forfeiture laws since their introduction in 1996.

The Bill strengthens CAB’s investigative powers, with new provisions to freeze bank accounts when there is a reasonable suspicion that it is being used to hold proceeds of crime. To address the risk of funds being moved quickly or hidden, a direction can be given to a financial institution to freeze an account for up to seven days.

The Bill will also ensure that when a court has decided that assets are the proceeds of crime, a receiver will be appointed to deprive those holding the assets to benefit. The time before the assets can be finally disposed of will be reduced from seven (7) years to two (2) years which is a significant reform, stated Minister O’Callaghan.

Minister Jim O’Callaghan added:

Additionally, the District Court may issue a restraint order for up to 90 days, with the option to renew it. These powers can be used where there are reasonable grounds to suspect that the funds are linked to crime and may be dissipated. It will be a criminal offence to breach either a direction or a court order.

The Bill also streamlines the disposal process and ensures that findings are not challenged repeatedly. Procedural protections remain in place and individuals will still have the right to appeal a decision or apply to vary or revoke it during the two-year period before disposal.

Minister O’Callaghan also highlighted the importance of ensuring that the proceeds of crime are used to benefit communities:

With a budget of €4 million in 2025, the fund which is managed by the National Office for Community Safety, supports projects that tackle anti-social behaviour, drug-related intimidation, domestic violence, and youth crime.

Following government approval for publication today, the Proceeds of Crime and Related Matters Bill 2025 will now proceed to be considered by Dáil Éireann.

The government approved the General Scheme of the Proceeds of Crime and Related Matters Bill on 16 January 2024. The General Scheme was referred to the Joint Committee on Justice for Pre-Legislative Scrutiny with this scrutiny being completed and reported on 15 May 2024.

The Proceeds of Crime and Related Matters Bill 2025 is a major update to Ireland’s civil asset forfeiture laws. It strengthens the legal framework used by the State to identify, freeze, and confiscate assets that are suspected to be the proceeds of crime.

The Bill amends the Proceeds of Crime Act 1996, the Criminal Assets Bureau Act 1996, and other related legislation. It is designed to ensure that the Criminal Assets Bureau (CAB) can act more quickly and effectively in targeting the financial gains of organised crime.

The Proceeds of Crime and Related Matters Bill 2025 introduces several important reforms which include:

• it will reduce from seven years to two years the time between a judicial determination having been made that assets are the proceeds of crime and a final disposal order being available in respect of those assets
• it will provide for, on a judicial determination being made that assets are the proceeds of crime, the immediate and automatic appointment of a receiver in respect of those assets to ensure that respondents cannot continue to benefit from those assets pending a final disposal order being made, subject to a protection against a risk of injustice
• it will ensure that, once a judicial determination has been made that assets are the proceeds of crime, this question is not re-litigated at the point of disposal; respondents will continue to have the ability to appeal such a determination, and during the period prior to disposal to seek to vary or revoke such a determination
• it enhances the restraint of financial accounts and asset detention powers available to CAB during a proceeds of crime investigation

In 2023, CAB returned over €8.65 million to the Exchequer through actions under the Proceeds of Crime Acts, Revenue Acts, and Social Welfare legislation. An additional €1.2 million was returned via the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions. Since its establishment, CAB has returned over €219.8 million to the State.

The Community Safety Fund (CSF) was launched in 2021 to reinvest proceeds of crime into local initiatives that improve community safety. Since its inception, over €7.6 million has been paid to successful projects. It has a budget of €4 million in 2025.

The Criminal Assets Bureau (CAB), established in 1996, is a multi-agency body including officers from An Garda Síochána, the Revenue Commissioners, and the Department of Social Protection. It is supported by legal staff from the Chief State Solicitor’s Office and operates independently as a corporate body. CAB uses civil forfeiture, tax enforcement, and social welfare compliance powers to target the proceeds of crime.