I thank the Chair for allowing me to raise this very important issue on the Adjournment. It affects a great many people particularly young people not only in Cork city but throughout the country.
Recent reports from the Garda on the availability and distribution of drugs in the Cork area must be a matter of serious concern to all citizens, particularly parents of young children because it now appears that they have been targeted by drug pushers in the city and county. It is well known that the Garda Síochána are keeping schools under surveillance with the objective of apprehending those ruthless people who are encouraging young children to take drugs in order to get them involved in their despicable trade.
I wholeheartedly endorse the stand taken by the Cork State Solicitor and the remarks by Judge Clifford that drug dealers would receive maximum fines and sentences on conviction. Recently people have called for the setting up of drug treatment centres and I agree with their demand. There is a growing need for the treatment of drug addiction. The Southern Health Board are doing their best in view of the limited resources. The Garda drug squad are doing their utmost to contain the problem with the limited resources available to them but we must go much further.
The health boards, the courts and the Garda Síochána are all involved after the drugs arrive here and I suggest this is why the Minister must act. We must cut off the supply of drugs at source. The supply lines of the drug barons from the Continent, Britain and this country must be severed once and for all. That is why I propose the setting up of a drugs enforcement agency modelled on the one operating in the United States very successfully. It is necessary for the expertise of the Garda Síochána, Customs and Excise, the Army and Naval Service to be co-ordinated to form a force to counter drug trafficking to this country. The provision of fast launches manned by naval personnel with the right to stop, search and arrest commercial and leisure craft entering our coastal waters is essential if we are to get to grips with this evil trade. My information is that the south and south-west coasts have been used for the importation of contraband. The unguarded nature of our coastline makes it relatively easy for those unscrupulous criminals to land drugs with very little risk of capture. Legislation would be needed to set up this force, but I believe every Deputy would endorse any action by the Minister to curb those evil people who trade on the misery of others.
