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2019 Irish Financial Cork Harbour Waterkeeper Keeps Focus

11th, Institutions Urged To On The Health Of Cork’s Waterways

September

| Protect Firms Against
EXAMINER Money Laundering

IRISH Launched in April 2018 as Cork Harbour Water Guardians,

an affiliate of Waterkeeper Alliance, the organization quickly
reached all the necessary quality standards required to obtain full
Waterkeeper Alliance membership and was rebranded as Cork
Harbour Waterkeeper in June 2018.
Cork Harbour Waterkeeper are currently bringing attention
to what is happening on a daily basis with the discharge of raw
sewage into the harbor and waterways.
Waterkeeper Alliance, whose President is Robert F.
Kennedy, Jr., has its headquarters on Maiden Lane in New York
City and has over 300 Waterkeeper members in 44 countries on
6 continents around the world.
With two substantial donations received from friends in New
York, Cork Harbour Waterkeeper was founded by Christine
O’Niell a native of Ringaskiddy who has lived in New York for
the past 26 years. Led by Executive Director Noel Sheehan, vol-
unteers Zach Sheehan, Gavin Murphy and Boat Captain Nick
Murphy they were able to purchase a 17-foot Shetland boat, cur-
rently used to patrol Cork Harbor and monitor the ongoing pol-
lution in the area.
Irish Central Bank’s Director General of Financial Conduct Derville Rowland In addition, with those funds, they have acquired a dedicated
rish financial institutions using the financial system to Firms have been warned to vehicle which carries all the supplies needed for beach clean-ups
have been urged to pro- support these activities. consider if their customers and water sampling equipment, the marina where the boat is
Itect firms against drug “Lives can be saved, if such have any political connections docked, fuel costs, refitting of the boat with sonar and electrics
dealers, human traffickers, criminal activity is curtailed. or links to sectors that are and life jackets.
terrorists and crime gangs “While compliance can be commonly associated with The funds have also covered the set-up of our office and other
who use the financial sys- burdensome at times, it higher corruption risk, includ- various administrative costs. With these donations Cork
tem. means that firms are playing ing construction, pharmaceu- Harbour Waterkeeper has acquired an IDEXX water quality
The Central Bank of their part in stopping the reg- ticals and healthcare, arms sampling machine, which is a European and EPA-standard
Ireland has published guide- ulated financial system being trade and defense and public water sampling machine.
They are the only non-profit organization in Ireland to have
lines to help financial firms used for criminal means.” procurement. an IDEXX machine that allows their volunteers to sample the
prevent money laundering In a report published this The guidelines also urge waterways for E coli and other harmful bacterias and share their
and the financing of terror- year, the Basel AML Index – businesses to be aware if a findings on their free SWIMGUIDE.ORG app
ism. an independent annual rank- customer holds a prominent Some of the group’s accomplishments so far include:
It is estimated that between ing that assesses the risk of position or enjoys a “high Monthly shoreline clean-ups at various locations in the
2-5% of global GDP is laun- money laundering and terror- public profile” that might Cork Harbor area;
dered each year – between ist financing – found Ireland enable them to abuse their The launch of a mobile app called Swim Guide, where they
€715 billion and €1.87 trillion. to be one of the best perform- position for private gain. have selected 12 locations throughout the Harbor area to col-
Speaking at the launch in ing countries in relation to the It states: “If they are a sen- lect, sample and monitor the water quality for recreational activ-
Dublin, director general of transparency of public disclo- ior local or regional public ities;
financial conduct Derville sures, the openness of budgets officials with the ability to They are working with various organizations throughout
Rowland said: “Firms must and public accountability. influence the awarding of Ireland and collaborating to bring awareness and participating in
adopt a risk-based approach to Ms Rowland also said that public contracts, or decision- discussions to develop a solution for the plastic waste issue in
fulfilling their obligations and the categories of people who making members of high pro- Ireland;
ensure that their controls, can be regarded as politically file sporting bodies, or indi- Manage a polluter’s hotline and social media platform to
policies and procedures are fit exposed now include mem- viduals that are known to highlight and bring attention locally to people that use the water
for purpose, up-to-date, tested bers of the governing bodies influence the government and for recreation.
and kept under constant of political parties. other senior decision-mak- Creating the first Citizen Science program which educates
review and scrutiny. “That’s because people ers.” volunteers in water quality, etc.; and,
“At the Central Bank, we who hold – or have held – a “Financial institutions Launched their first corporate responsibility program with
believe that effective regula- high political profile can pose must know their customers, Boston Scientific collaborating and overseeing two shoreline
tion in this area strengthens a higher money laundering understand their customer clean-ups performed by Boston Scientific employees, both of
the integrity of the financial risk to firms as their position profiles, monitor the way which made a huge impact on the plastic pollution problem at
sector, and contributes to the may make them vulnerable to accounts are used and make two areas in Cork Harbor.
CHWK is currently working with councilors from all parties
safety and security of citizens, corruption such as accepting reports of suspicions to An on the issues of dumping raw sewage into the harbor and water-
by preventing drug dealers, bribes or contributions to Garda Síochána, and the ways on a daily basis and the proposed effluent pipe line by
and those engaged in human election campaigns and politi- Revenue Commissioners DairyGold/Tine of Fats, Oils and Grease (FOG) into the water-
trafficking, terrorist attacks cal parties in return for advan- where appropriate,” she ways from Midleton and the great island. C
and organized crime, from tages,” she added. added. C