Noel Davern
Question:101 Mr. Davern asked the Minister for Justice the efforts, if any, that are being made to bring the issue of drug trafficking to the top of the agenda during the Irish Presidency of the EU. [8336/96]
Written Answers. - Drug Trafficking.
The Government yesterday considered the report of the Interdepartmental Group on European Action on Drugs chaired by the Department of Justice. The Government confirmed that combating drug trafficking and abuse would be a priority for the Irish Presidency.
Among the key actions which Ireland will pursue will be: a review by member states of the adequacy of co-operation in protecting the external border(s) of the EU — with particular reference to combating the problem of the importation of drugs by land, sea or air; consideration during the Irish Presidency of crop-diversion programmes for Asia; the making of arrangements to introduce co-operation between National Forensic Science Laboratories as an aid to law enforcement in consultation with the EDU (Europol); a declaration aimed at the introduction of sentences for serious drug trafficking offences, in the national laws of each member state, which come within the range of the severest penalties imposed in that member state; a Community-wide initiative to be launched to encourage member states' customs administrations to enter into Memoranda of Understanding — MOU — with relevant trade bodies and companies in the private sector, with a view to enlisting their help in the fight against drugs; the conclusion of the conciliation process between the European Parliament and the Council of Health Ministers to ensure that the Community Action Programme on the Prevention of Drug Dependence in the field of public health — 1996-2000 — which includes health and education action items; the organisation by the Department of Education, in liaison with the Department of Health, of a conference in relation to international best practice in the area of demand reduction; as part of the process of dialogue between the Council of Ministers of the EU and and non-EU States, discussion of ways of improving co-operation in combating drug abuse should be a priority; and in the Intergovernmental Conference that Treaty changes be proposed with the following objectives prioritising action to combat drugs, and focusing on the importance of protecting the external borders of the Union in the fight against drugs.