Finian McGrath
Question:50 Mr. F. McGrath asked the Minister for Finance if his attention has been drawn to the fact that nearly 80% of illegal drugs shipments bound for Ireland get through; and his plans to deal with this crisis. [8032/03]
Written Answers - Drug Trafficking.
I am advised by the Revenue Commissioners that the Customs and Excise Service and the Garda Síochána have a shared responsibility for drugs enforcement within the State. The Customs and Excise Service has primary responsibility for the prevention, detection, interception and seizure of controlled drugs intended to be smuggled or illegally imported into the State. The Garda Síochána has responsibility for the investigation of any related offences and also for post-importation offences. Having regard to the international dimension to drugs trafficking, and recognising that both-agencies have an important contribution to make, clear liaison arrangements exist to promote the highest degree of co-operation to prevent and to detect drug trafficking offences. Significant seizures of cannabis, cocaine, ecstasy and heroin in recent weeks are an illustration of the successes of both agencies and of the high level of co-operation which exists.
In the past two years illegal drugs with a street value of €94 million were seized by the Customs and Excise Service at points of entry into the State. The Garda Síochána seized drugs with a similar street value post-importation. While the availability of drugs clearly indicates that consignments do get through controls, I am advised by the Revenue Commissioners that it is not possible to state with any degree of certainty the number of such consignments or the percentage of consignments that are not detected. There is no intelligence, international studies or analyses to suggest that 80% of illegal drug shipments bound for Ireland get through the law enforcement agencies undetected.
Drug trafficking has become increasingly globalised in its nature and criminal organisations employ a myriad of methods and constantly change their routings in their efforts to evade detection as they move illicit drugs across international frontiers. In recent times drug consignments destined for Ireland have been intercepted by law enforcement officers on the Continent and in Britain. Similarly, intelligence available indicates that several of the consignments seized in this jurisdiction did not have Ireland as their intended final destination. Therefore, national drug detection statistics often do not show the wider picture.
The Government's response to the problem of drug abuse is set out in the "Building on Experience" document published in May 2001, which sets out the national drugs strategy 2001-2008. The strategy, which is overseen by the Cabinet Committee on Social Inclusion, is based on the four pillars of supply reduction, prevention, treatment and research. It details 100 specific actions that need to be implemented across the pillars. On the supply reduction side, the overall strategic aim is "to reduce the availability of illicit drugs". Specific supply reduction targets have been set for the law enforcement agencies, the Garda Síochána and the Customs and Excise Service. The NDS commits these agencies "to increase the volume of opiates and all other drugs seized by 25% by the end of 2004 and by 50% by the end of 2008, using 2000 seizures as a base". Considerable progress has already been made in delivering on these targets.
Senior Customs and Excise and Garda officers attend the interdepartmental group of the NDS, which consists of high-level representatives of key Government Departments with a role to play in addressing issues related to illicit drug use. The Customs and Excise Service and the Garda will also be represented on all the regional drugs task forces that are currently being established. I am advised that the Revenue Commissioners have taken a number of specific initiatives in order to improve the effectiveness of the Customs and Excise Service in preventing the illegal importation of drugs. These include: an enhanced drug detector dog programme; re-launching of the customs drugs watch programme; the expansion of the memorandum of understanding programme; the drug precursor programme in liaison with the chemical industry; and the establishment of the national freight intelligence unit.
The Revenue Commissioners has recently published its statement of strategy for 2003-2005. The strategy underlines the office's continued commitment to drugs enforcement and takes on board the supply reduction targets set out in the NDS as mentioned above. In addition to the measures already implemented, the commissioners are considering the acquisition of additional technical and other equipment in order to enhance the ability of the customs service to detect illegally imported drugs.
Question No. 51 answered with Question No. 26.