Stronger measures to combat white-collar crime are being published this afternoon.

The Office of the Director of Corporate Enforcement will be given greater independence and new Anti-Corruption laws will be introduced.

Despite a crippling crash and questionable practices in several banks, nobody has ever been brought to task over the banking collapse in a meaningful way.

Now the Government is preparing to beef up measures to tackle white-collar crime, which is typically hard to detect.

The Office of the Director of Corporate Enforcement, previously the subject of much criticism, will be established as an independent enforcement agency.

A new Corruption Offences Bill is being developed to consolidate laws in the area, including new laws on bribery – stemming from the Mahon tribunal.

A Joint Agency Task Force, led by gardai will also be set up on a pilot basis to investigate white collar crime.