Labour moves to retable Bill for law to seize oligarchs’ cash
LABOUR plans to reintroduce new legislation that would give the State CAB-style powers to seize the assets of Russian oligarchs.
The move to bring back former party leader Brendan Howlin’s long-delayed Magnitsky Bill is an embarrassing development for Justice Minister Helen McEntee.
Despite having all-party support, the Bill was shot down by the Government in July. The plan to fast-track the law was scuppered after it fell foul of parliamentary procedures, in particular over the need to secure ‘a money message’ which allows the State to authorise expenditure on a Bill. However, Ireland’s relations with Russia sharply deteriorated this week after the country’s move to ban 52 politicians. Those on the list include Taoiseach Micheál Martin, Tánaiste Leo Varadkar,
Justice Minister Helen McEntee, the Cathaoirleach of the Dáil, Seán Ó Fearghaíl and Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe.
Commenting on Ms McEntee’s decision to shoot down his Bill, Mr Howlin told the Irish Mail on Sunday: ‘This proposal initially had the support of the entire Oireachtas and the committee it was being brought through.
‘It would seem to be inexplicable and undemocratic that it was foiled by a procedural device owing to the opposition of the Department of Justice.’
Mr Howlin and fellow Labour TD Aodhán Ó Ríordáin now plan to retable the Bill, taking into account some of the concerns raised previously by the Department of Justice.
The Wexford TD said: ‘The political mood may have been changed somewhat by recent events. Irish public anger with Russia has also sharpened.’
Significantly, the chair of the Justice Committee, Fianna Fáil TD James Lawless, has also offered his full support to ensure the Bill’s swift passage.
Mr Lawless, who is also on the Kremlin’s banned list, told the MoS: ‘I will absolutely facilitate this Bill getting through as swiftly as possible. It was frankly astonishing that a Bill with such unified support was stymied by such an obscure procedural device.’
After Ms McEntee initially shot down the proposed new law to target Russian oligarchs and their use of money shelters here, Mr Howlin accused the Government of using an ‘inappropriate procedural device’ to kill his Bill.
At the time Ms McEntee said she was ‘unable to recommend to Government that a money message be issued pursuant to Article 17.2 of the Constitution’.
A money message is a formal device whereby the Government must approve the expenditure of public money before a Bill can pass. The absence of a money message is increasingly used as a de facto veto on legislation.
But Mr Howlin said the use of a money message was ‘an abuse of power by the Government’.
The Magnitsky Bill – named after Russian lawyer Sergei Magnitsky, who was tortured and killed in a Moscow prison after investigating a $230m fraud involving tax officials – would have allowed the Government to lift the lid on money shelters that oligarchs use to funnel billions through shell companies operating through the Irish Financial Services Centre.