John O'Donoghue
Ceist:33 Mr. O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Justice whether she has sought assistance from the EU in order to combat drug trafficking; the response she has received; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13758/95]
Written Answers. - Drug Trafficking.
Title VI of the Treaty on European Union, which came into operation in November 1993, contains provisions for co-operation among member states in regard to certain matters in the justice area, including unlawful drug trafficking. An example of this new co-operation was the establishment of the EUROPOL drugs unit in 1994. The unit is charged with the essential mission of exchanging and co-ordinating drugs intelligence in the European Union.
Ireland's fight against drug trafficking has been substantially strengthened by our participation in the EUROPOL drugs unit: a liaison officer from the Garda Síochána is serving with the unit. I will continue to monitor whether we should increase our personnel there. Some of the seizures of drugs by our law enforcement agencies have been facilitated by our participation in the work of the EUROPOL drugs unit. The recent signing of the EUROPOL Convention by all member states will enhance the individual and collective anti-drug trafficking strategies of member states even further. Further progress on establishing EUROPOL is hoped for during the coming year.
As far as financial assistance is concerned, ECU 1,800,000 has been made available from the general budget of the EU in 1995 for police co-operation measures under Title VI. My Department has submitted a project for funding from that allocation which would involve the exchange of operational police personnel involved in drug trafficking between a number of member states. No decision by the EU Commission on the application has been made yet.