THE House dealt with six Bills, referring two of them to Dail committees the Criminal Justice (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill, which provides for less frequent appearances in court by remand prisoners to save Garda time and the Criminal Assets Bureau Bill, which provides for the establishment of a bureau to target criminal assets.
Two Bills passed all stages and will go to the Seanad today the Disclosure of Certain Information for Taxation and Other Purposes Bill, which will allow the Government to order solicitors, accountants and other professionals to report suspicious' transactions, and the Proceeds of Crime Bill, under which assets can be seized and later disposed of if not shown to be legally earned.
The Criminal Justice (Drug Trafficking) Bill returned from the Seanad. It provides for up to seven days detention for drug traffickers and restricts the right to silence in drug cases. A Seanad amendment was accepted. The Courts Bill, which provides for the appointment of three extra judges, passed all stages. It had already been passed by the Seanad.