ODCE inquiries result in five arrests

THERE were five people arrested and detained arising from investigations initiated by the Office of the Director of Corporate Enforcement (ODCE) last year.

That is according to the Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation, Heather Humphreys who confirmed 15 charges were directed by the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) on indictment concerning ODCE investigations in 2018.

In a written Dáil reply to Deputy Maurice Quinlivan (SF), Ms Humphreys has also confirmed that in 2018, there were 31 directors disqualified arising from ODCE activity — 24 by disqualification undertakings and seven by Court Orders.

The Minister stated that 29 cautions were issued in 2018 as a result of ODCE activity while 25 production orders were issued under various acts including the Criminal Justice (Theft and Fraud Offences) Act 2001 and the Criminal Justice Act 1994.

Ms Humphreys revealed that the provisional figures for 2018 show that in relation to the prosecution of company directors, one prosecution was initiated, and two convictions were recorded while there were 148 restrictions of directors – 125 by restriction undertaken and 23 by court order. “The ODCE took a decision in recent years to concentrate its resources on more serious and complex investigations, the result of which is usually the submission of a file to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) for consideration, as opposed to a summary prosecution,” she said.

Separately, Ms Humphreys confirmed that the ODCE employs 42 – including seven gardai. She said that restructuring at the ODCE has involved the recruitment of eight accounting professionals, two Enforcement Portfolio Managers, two Enforcement Lawyers and a Digital Forensics Specialist.