I appreciate the Deputy's imprimatur.
Ireland and our EU partners, including Britain, are committed to increasing co-operation to fight the scourge of illegal drugs and the inter-related problem of international crime. This priority is reflected in the enhancement of the justice and home affairs provisions in the Amsterdam Treaty, and through close co-ordination of EU policy in the UN and other international fora that have a primary role in the fight against drug trafficking. Co-operation in this area has rightly assumed high priority in the EU's developing partnership and co-operation with the US, with the countries of central and eastern Europe, with Russia, Asia and Latin America.
These are the main frameworks in which Ireland and Britain co-operate in the fight against drug trafficking. It would be important, in looking at suggestions to further improve such co-operation, perhaps within the framework of any new East-West arrangements agreed under strand III of the multi-party negotiations, to ensure that our efforts are not dissipated, or spread too thinly through being pursued in too many fora. I am not convinced that Partnership for Peace would necessarily be required as an additional framework.