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Former DPP to chair economic crime council

An independent chair and six ordinary members are to be appointed to a newly-established Advisory Council against Economic Crime and Corruption.

The council’s establishment was one of the recommendations made in the Hamilton Review, led by former Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) James Hamilton, who will now take up the role of independent chair of the new council.

The Advisory Council will have 19 members, plus the chair. Thirteen members will represent the relevant Government departments, enforcement and regulatory agencies from across the public sector.

Six ordinary members will represent the business-and-financial sector, academia, and civil society. They are:

• Joanelle O’Cleirigh (solicitor),
• Barry Robinson (forensic accountant),
• Raj Chari (TCD Professor of Political Science),
• Robert Gillanders (economist and Director of DCU Centre against Corruption),
• Niamh O’Regan (non-executive director), and
• Patricia King (Irish Congress of Trade Unions).

The term of appointment of the chair is four years, renewable once, while the membership term for ordinary members is three years.

The chair will receive €11,97, while ordinary members will receive €7,695 annually, as well as travel expenses.

Strategy

The Council will be responsible for developing a multi-annual strategy to combat economic crime and corruption and will draw up an action plan to tackle white-collar crime and corruption.

Justice minister Helene McEntee said that Ireland must be at the forefront of international efforts to vigorously pursue criminals who both undermine confidence in the economic system and damage economies.