Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Thursday, 13 May 1993

Vol. 430 No. 7

Written Answers. - Drug Trafficking.

Gay Mitchell

Ceist:

28 Mr. G. Mitchell asked the Minister for Justice her views on whether a drugs enforcement agency on an EC or Anglo/Irish basis would assist in combatting the high level of drug abuse and related crime; and if she will make a statement on the matter.

Minister for Justice (Mrs. Geoghegan-Quinn)

I am not aware of any convincing arguments for the establishment of a drugs enforcement agency on an EC or an Anglo-Irish basis.

Drug law enforcement efforts in this country are co-ordinated by the Garda national drug administration office which was set up in 1990 and which is located in Garda headquarters. The Revenue Commissioners have also recently established a national drugs team with over 70 staff consisting of intelligence units, maritime units and sniffer dogs units, which will be strategically based at import and export points throughout the country. I am informed by the Garda authorities which facilitates a co-ordinated between the Garda and Customs authorities which facilitates a co-operation and effective effort against drug trafficking nationwide and which has resulted in many successful joint Garda and Customs operations.

The Garda authorities have assured me that these inter-agency liaison arrangements are a practical and effective way of dealing with drug-related crime in this country. Intelligence-based strategies are central in combating the importation of drugs and the closest international co-operation is an essential prerequisite if such strategies are to prove effective. The implications for policing which arise from the abolition of customs control and immigration control on 1 January 1993 have been under examination for some time. EC Ministers of the Interior and — or Justice in agreeing to set up the Trevi Group in 1975 affirmed their common will to strengthen co-operation in the fight against organised international crime and terrorism. Under the Irish Presidency, Trevi Ministers at their meeting in Dublin in June, 1990 agreed a programme of action which set out measures to be taken by member states to combat terrorism and organised crime, including drug trafficking. In accordance with this programme, member states were requested to study the need for a European drugs intelligence unit. A special Trevi sub group has examined this matter and at its meeting held in December, 1991 the European Council decided that a Europol drugs unit should be established as soon as possible to act as a centralised exchange and co-ordination unit for, in particular, drug-related information between member states. Since then substantial preparatory work necessary for the establishment of the Europol drugs unit has been taking place. This unit will be of great practical benefit in combating the international trafficking of drugs and I look forward to the establishment of the unit at an early date.

Work on measures to combat drug trafficking at European level is also being undertaken by the Mutual Assistance Group (MAG), the EC wide customs group. There is close co-operation and co-ordination between Trevi and MAG in order to ensure that there is no overlap in the work being done by the two groups.