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Customs and Excise Staff

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 18 June 2013

Tuesday, 18 June 2013

Questions (92, 93)

Tony McLoughlin

Question:

92. Deputy Tony McLoughlin asked the Minister for Finance the number of staff within the Customs and Excise section of Revenue in Custom House, Sligo that are detailed to investigate illegal narcotics and illegal drug importation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28946/13]

View answer

Tony McLoughlin

Question:

93. Deputy Tony McLoughlin asked the Minister for Finance the number of staff, full-time and part-time, in the Customs and Excise section of Revenue who are engaged solely in the detection and investigation of illegal drug importation that are based at sea ports and airports in the Sligo-Leitrim area; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28947/13]

View answer

Written answers

I propose to take Questions Nos. 92 and 93 together.

I am advised by the Revenue Commissioners that their office is an integrated tax and customs administration and it is not feasible to disaggregate the staffing resources deployed exclusively on Customs and Excise or drugs enforcement work. The Revenue Commissioners have around 2,000 staff engaged on activities that are dedicated to target and confront non-compliance. These activities include anti-smuggling, audit, assurance checks, debt management, investigations, prosecutions and anti-avoidance. A total of approx 124 staff are engaged on these activities in the North West area.

The Revenue Commissioners have an enforcement presence at all key airports and ports and at other strategic locations and enforcement strength at particular locations is regularly augmented with additional personnel on a risk assessment basis, or when particular operations are taking place. The Deputy will appreciate that, for reasons of operational sensitivity, the Commissioners are not in a position to provide further details of enforcement deployment at any given location.

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