I thank the Minister of State Deputy Eithne Fitzgerald, for her attendance this afternoon. My case is all the more urgent in the wake of the recent horrific murders of Detective Garda McCabe and Veronica Guerin. This crisis has been addressed by many Members of the House in respect of which the Government has announced an agreed package of measures to be introduced promptly.
In the past 18 months I have raised the matter of our growing drugs problem, more specifically the importation of illicit substances through our south western ports. I cited instances based on my knowledge of local people, in addition to the very substantial importation of drugs through Castletownbere Harbour, which were seized at Urlingford, and highlighted in the media.
I and many others know that major drugs barons have taken up residence in the south west. As is the case in Dublin, they are well known to locals. Despite having been a Member of this House for some decades, in my innocence, I assumed the Government was serious in tackling this problem. As we are aware, our south west coast is one of the busiest shipping traffic lanes in Europe, Castletownbere being the busiest port in the south west, a designated major fisheries port which in addition accommodates pleasure craft. There was one customs officer there but the Rainbow Coalition closed that office last year following which a major shipment of drugs came through that port.
We are an island nation, and drugs are imported by sea, yet it appears we give these drug barons all the assistance they need by not having any Customs presence in Castletownbere.
As a gesture, the authorities said, and the Minister for Finance told me, during the peak fishing season they would allow that office be open but at other times it would be serviced from Bantry. Anybody who knows the geography of the south west will know that it takes one hour to drive from Bantry to Castletownbere, which means that to service that port from Bantry is ludicrous.
On Tuesday last I was informed that the assignment of a full-time officer of Customs and Excise is authorised in the peak period. That is an absolute disgrace, an insult to those who expect to be protected by our authorities.
I call on the Government, the Minister for Finance, and the Minister for Justice to ensure that people can walk the streets, drive around Castletownbere or any other town or city without the menace created by drugs. There is only one route by which drugs can be imported here, through our ports. The closure of a Customs post manned by one officer would appear to indicate the Government is not serious about tackling the problem but is merely paying lip service to it. If the Government was even half serious about it, it would agree that we need a full-time static presence in places like Castletownbere. We are serious about this matter, and to that end we want to ensure full protection and surveillance. For the Government to say it will take this in hand in due course is not good enough. Today, I hope for the last time, I call on the Government to assign officers of the Customs and Excise service to Castletownbere on a full-time basis to prevent the smuggling of illicit and illegal drug substances through the south-west coast, particularly through Castletownbere.