Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 18 May 2016
12. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Finance his proposals to implement additional measures to deal with cross-Border criminality such as the smuggling of diesel and tobacco products and other illicit trade; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10136/16]
View answerCombating cross-Border smuggling is a high priority for Revenue. Mineral oil and tobacco smuggling are crimes that require both national and international responses.
I am advised by Revenue that it works closely with law enforcement partners both at home and abroad to disrupt and deter smuggling activities. Revenue co-operates extensively with, inter alia, An Garda Síochána in acting against illicit trades. The relevant authorities in the State also work closely with their counterparts in Northern Ireland through cross-Border enforcement groups to target the organised crime groups that are responsible for a large proportion of these forms of criminality. There is close co-operation with other international law enforcement agencies, in particular HM Revenue and Customs in the UK.
As has been reiterated in the programme for a partnership Government, the work to tackle cross-jurisdictional organised crime will be supported and reinforced by the establishment, in the framework of A Fresh Start, the Stormont agreement and implementation plan, of the joint agency task force, which includes Revenue. In this context the development of strategic and tactical plans has been agreed by all key stakeholders to further support effective action against cross-Border excise fraud. This interagency national and international co-operation is complemented by Revenue's use of intelligence gathering, its profiling of suspects and effective intervention programmes to counter the threat posed by criminal activities such as fuel and tobacco fraud.
Over the past number of years Revenue has implemented a number of strategies against both fuel fraud and the illegal tobacco trade, underpinned by an extensive and effective legislative framework to maximise its impact on the illegal operations referred to in the Deputy's question. I am satisfied that the current legislative framework provides an effective basis for action by Revenue against fuel and tobacco offences, and I am assured by Revenue that action against such activities will continue to be a key focus of its work.
In this House over the years, I have consistently raised the need to implement the most severe measures possible to deal with illicit trade which, as the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, Deputy Heather Humphreys, will know, is a particular problem for the Ulster counties on both sides of the Border. A year ago, I introduced legislation in this House calling for the establishment of a cross-Border multitask agency to deal with this illicit trade. I recognise and welcome the fact that some of the measures proposed in the Fresh Start agreement follow some of what we proposed. In view of the ongoing illicit trade and loss of revenue to our State, however, can the Minister now give further consideration to the establishment of a single cross-Border agency encompassing representatives of the Department of Finance, Customs and Excise, An Garda Síochána and the Environmental Protection Agency with their counterparts in the appropriate statutory authorities north of the Border? Not alone does the illegal trade in fuel, tobacco products and other products cause loss of revenue to the State and huge damage to legitimate businesses, particularly small businesses, there is also a threat to our environment with the dumping of sludge and material arising from the washing of diesel. It will cause damage to the reputation of our farming industry as well, and the authenticity and provenance of our food production can be threatened by this dumping of sludge and other raw materials. I hope the Minister will give further consideration to the establishment of a cross-Border agency to ensure we stamp out the illicit trade which is doing so much damage to so many people and to society.
I ask the Minister to respond in writing to the Deputy because the time allocated for Questions has elapsed.
