Tackling economic crime and corruption
The Strategy to combat Economic Crime and Corruption, published in September 2026, finds that economic crime and corruption is “relentlessly evolving” with the aid of advances in data and new technology including AI.
In a vague document, the strategy identifies a “significant threat” posed by advances in technology, data, and AI, but also states that these advancements provide opportunities in tackling economic crime and corruption.
The strategy aims to protect the state from emerging threats including “cyber-enabled and cross-border criminal activity” through five strategic objectives.
Objective one is to improve collection, analysis, and use of data to identify emerging threats and support policymaking. In line with this, a systemic approach to data collection and analysis is to be developed. Legislation to detect and deter bid-rigging in public procurement is also to be introduced.
The second objective is to develop a stronger cross-sectoral approach through enhanced cooperation and information-sharing.
“Fragmented actions, limited information-sharing, and a lack of cross-sectoral and cross-functional understanding are the oxygen feeding criminal enterprise,” the strategy finds.
In line with objective two, enhanced public-private partnerships to better prevent, detect, and pursue economic crime are to be established. Legislation to facilitate private-to-private information sharing is also to be introduced.
Objective three is to ensure investigators and prosecutors have the required skills and tools to tackle economic crime and corruption. The strategy recommends options be examined to improve efficiencies in prosecuting economic crime cases. This includes the consideration of deferred prosecution agreements and other non-trial resolution measures.
Objective four is to strengthen capacity to seize and confiscate criminal assets. While it praises the State’s existing legislative and institutional framework for pursuing domestic criminal assets, it states: “Future success is dependent on the ability to facilitate investigators to identify, trace, and seize illicit assets on a transnational basis.”
In line with this, confiscation provisions under the Criminal Justice Act 1994 are to be examined and participation in the EU Asset Recovery and Confiscation Directive is to be assessed. The Council of Europe’s Convention on Laundering, Search, Seizure and Confiscation of the Proceeds of Crime is to be ratified.
The significant threat posed by an increasingly digitalised, online society and advancements in technology, data, and artificial intelligence were regularly cited, but so too were the opportunities of these developments to all those committed to tackling economic crime and corruption, including law enforcement, regulators, the private sector, and civil society.
Objective five is to promote prevention through education, public awareness, and increased compliance measures. The strategy recommends the development of campaigns to raise awareness of fraud and scams.
In his ministerial foreword in the strategy, Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration Jim O’Callaghan TD says: “Economic crime and corruption pose a serious and evolving threat to our society, undermining public trust, distorting markets, and weakening confidence in our institutions.
“This National Economic Crime and Corruption Strategy represents a significant step forward in strengthening Ireland’s capacity to prevent, detect, investigate, and prosecute economic crime and corruption.”
