With the permission of the Chair, I wish to share my time with Deputy Joe Walsh.
Adjournment Debate. - Importation of Illegal Drugs.
I am sure that is satisfactory and agreed.
From the beginning of this year we have learned of massive drugs seizures here, some examples of which are the following: £650,000 worth of heroin in January; £3 million worth of cocaine in February; £20 million worth of cannabis in March; £20 million of ecstasy and in November 15 tonnes of cannabis worth a massive £150 million, clearly huge hauls worth massive sums.
We must not forget the horrendous international statistical evidence to the effect that approximately 10 per cent only of drugs reputed to be trafficked into a country is seized.
I warmly compliment the Garda, Naval Service and officials of Customs and Excise on the tremendous job they did in seizing the huge haul yesterday but there is now a clear need for an immediate legislative response on the part of the Government. With great fanfare the Minister for Justice announced in early summer that she would introduce measures to tackle drug trafficking, in particular a measure whereby persons suspected of engaging in drug trafficking would be detained for seven days to allow them be questioned. At present a suspected drug trafficker may be held here only for two periods, one of six hours and one of eight hours — the latter being a rest period — for questioning. That ludicrous provision must be changed.
The Minister also promised that the Naval Service would be given powers of arrest. I also welcomed that decision. Fianna Fáil strongly supported the Minister's proposals but is alarmed that, several months later, the legislation urgently required has not been introduced. It is clear the Minister and the Government have a criminal policy which is simply not working; that would represent the very best scenario or, alternatively, and at worst, no criminal policy in this area.
It is of the utmost urgency that the Taoiseach and the Minister for Justice explain in forceful terms to the European Union Council of Ministers that not only is this country being used as a haven by drug barons and traffickers in order to import illegal drugs but is also being used by the same evil people to export massive amounts of illegal drugs to mainland Europe.
In those circumstances one must take the view that it is incumbent on the European Union Council of Ministers not merely to protect our young people but those on mainland Europe also. As an island nation on the periphery of Europe it is obvious why this country should be the centre of a European coastguard service to tackle this problem head on. It is obvious we do not have the requisite resources to do so. Nonetheless, despite scarce resources and shortage of personnel, our Garda, Naval Service and Customs and Excise officers have had remarkable successes.
It is now time to act, to seek the aid of the European Union and to have definitive legislation on our Statute Book. The time for procrastination, prevarication and indecision is over.
I raised this matter in April last and again on 25 October representing as I do the Cork South-West constituency which has a very long coastline and many big harbours and inlets. The fact that Deputy Deasy also raised the matter clearly demonstrates that it is a non-political issue. We represent the area and we are often asked to contact the Minister to have additional resources provided to the Garda and the Customs service to combat the problem. A number of large shipments and regular consignments have come in along the south-west coast. The country is awash with drugs. The issue of drugs and related crime is the biggest issue facing society today. It is an horrendous evil we must stamp out.
The Minister announces ad nauseam that she has declared was on drugs. We do not want declarations; we want something done about the issue. I tabled a parliamentary question to the Minister today asking how many gardaí had exclusive responsibility for drugs in west Cork. The reply was that out of 238 gardaí in Cork one inspector attached to Bandon station and a sergeant in the area are employed to deal with drugs. In County Kerry there are 230 gardaí and one garda is engaged full-time on drugs enforcement in the Kerry division. If that is our response to the drugs problem along the south-west coast we are not serious about it.
I appealed to the Minister on two occasions to allow the Customs office to remain open in Castletownbere, a major fishery port off one of the busiest shipping lanes in Europe, so as to retain a static presence there. On 1 October the office was closed. Is this a serious response? The south-west coast is vulnerable and the Customs officers operating there do not even have a mobile telephone. They have to beg or borrow coins in the hope that the public telephone will work if they need to use it.
Some time ago suspects had a pleasure craft just off the harbour in Casteltownshend and the Customs officers had to borrow a punt at the pier to sail out as they do not have their own. The punt was not in good condition and started to take in water. The Customs officers were in danger of losing their lives but for the suspects on the pleasure craft who came to their assistance and brought them ashore. We must move on from such situations and I appeal to the Minister to become serious about this problem.
I take the opportunity to congratulate the Garda on the success of the operation yesterday which resulted in the largest ever seizure of cannabis in the State. I also acknowledge the co-operation and assistance of the Customs and Excise Service and the Naval Service in the operation. This high level of co-operation is very much in the spirit of the new measures announced by the Minister for Justice last July to tackle drug traffickers and last night's drug operation is rightly regarded by all concerned as a major success for this policy of joint action and co-operation.
As the House will appreciate, I am not in a position to go into any great detail on the background to last night's drugs operation. Suffice it to say that it was the result of very good intelligence work and detailed planning by our law enforcement agencies. It is important to emphasise that all Garda operations, including the one yesterday, must be conducted on a confidential basis. Responsible Members on the opposite side of the House will appreciate that in order for the Garda, the Customs and Excise Service and Naval Service to do their work effectively this strict confidentiality must be maintained.
As regards the drugs problem in general, the drafting of legislation to allow for the detention of persons suspected of involvement in drug trafficking for a period of up to seven days, and for the extension of the responsibility for the issue of search warrants in drug trafficking cases to a Garda superintendent, is at and advanced stage of preparation in the Department of Justice. It is expected that the Minister will be bringing the proposals before the House this session. Other measures announced by the Minister for Justice in the July drugs package are being implemented as a matter of priority.
I strongly support the proposal to make a coastal location in Ireland the centre for a European coastguard. I am also Minister of State at the Department of Foreign Affairs and I have been pleased to see the Department of Justice closely engaged in European matters. It is important the Department should impress on our European colleagues the problems we face in Ireland and the consequences of Ireland being targeted by drug barons and criminal organisations as a drugs market, with onward transmission to continental Europe. I assure the Deputy the case for resources for Ireland in the fight against drugs is being made strongly by the Department of Justice, the Taoiseach and the Tánaiste.
Deputy Broughan spoke earlier about the problems in areas of north-east Dublin. I represent the Dublin West constituency and there are a number of areas there which have significant problems of crime and drug abuse. We have to adopt a twin track approach—first, to limit the operations of criminals in the drugs trade and, second, to provide the services Deputy Broughan mentioned as alternatives to drugs and crime, particularly in disadvantaged areas.