Brian Keegan: Money-laundering laws won’t work without sanctions for individuals

New criminal justice legislation will bring Ireland in line with EU, but it‘s only the first step

The new legislation will bolster the existing money laundering laws by widening and deepening the duties of care for the likes of tax advisers

President Michael D Higgins is expected to soon sign a piece of criminal justice legislation to bring Ireland into line with EU initiatives to combat money-laundering.

Successful approaches to criminality must tackle both the crime itself, ie, where the money came from, and serve to limit the use of the proceeds. There is no point in stealing or extorting money if it cannot be spent.

Anti-money laundering initiatives are not new to this country. A ...