Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 20 July 2016
77. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if she is satisfied with the current resources being provided for the detection of drugs in the Border, midlands, west region and the State in general [22957/16]
View answerThe National Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau continues to lead out the policing strategy for tackling drugs supply working closely with the local Divisional Drug Units across the State including in the Border, Midlands, West Region area. This approach allows for the co-ordinated use of Garda resources in tackling all forms of organised crime, including illicit drug activity nationwide. As the Deputy will appreciate it is the Garda Commissioner who is responsible for determining the distribution of Garda resources among the Garda Regions, Divisions and Districts.
The overall response to the problem of drug misuse is set out in the National Drugs Strategy for the period 2009-2016. The Strategy provides a co-ordinated and comprehensive response to the issue of drug misuse and is very much founded on a partnership approach.
Tackling the supply of drugs remains a key element of our overall Strategy and, in line with it and the Policing Plan, An Garda Síochána continues to prioritise tackling drugs and organised crime as a core focus of its work. In this regard multi-disciplinary approaches are utilised to ensure that those involved in illicit drugs activity are effectively targeted including through the use of drugs legislation, the proceeds of crime legislation, money laundering legislation and the powers of the Criminal Assets Bureau.
In addressing drug trafficking An Garda Síochána also has in place a number of strategic partnerships both nationally and internationally including with Revenue's Customs Service, the Health Products Regulatory Authority, the Irish Naval Service, Europol, Interpol and the Maritime Analysis and Operations Centre Narcotics based in Lisbon.
Substantial Government resources are being provided to support all of this work and in also supporting the considerable work in drug detection being done by Revenue's Customs Services to prevent the importation of drugs into the State.
Notable successes continues to be made by our law enforcement authorities in this area including, for example, the work done by the National Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau which led to 51 significant seizures of a wide range of controlled drugs with an estimated street value in excess of €24 million being made during 2015 and the related arrests of the persons involved in the trafficking of these substances.
Finally I can advise the Deputy that the level of resources being provided to address the problem of drug supply is one which is subject to ongoing assessment including through the oversight of our National Drugs Strategy. In this regard I would point to the 2016 Budget allocation of €1.5 billion for An Garda Síochána which includes over €67 million in additional funding which, in addition to the recruitment of new trainee Gardaí, also provides additional funding for Garda surveillance, special operations and targeted, intelligence-led policing, all of which will be of assistance to our overall drug law enforcement response.
