Alan Shatter
Ceist:47 Mr. Shatter asked the Minister for Defence the number of boardings made to date in 1999 by the Naval Service on boats suspected of illegal drug importation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26299/99]
Written Answers. - Drug Trafficking.
Responsibility for the prevention of the illegal importation of drugs rests primarily with the Garda Síochána and the Revenue Commissioners while the main day-to-day role of the Naval Service is to provide a fishery protection service in accordance with the State's obligations as a member of the European Union. During the course of routine patrols, Naval Service vessels may be deployed to anti-drug smuggling operations. Naval Service vessels are specifically tasked from time to time to carry out drug search and interdiction operations in aid of the civil authorities.
Government measures to improve law enforcement in relation to drugs, including the establish ment in 1993 of a joint task force involving the Garda, the Customs Service and the Naval Service, have helped to maximise the effective use of Naval Service resources in combating the illegal importation of drugs. It is not the practice, for security reasons, to disclose specific details relating to Naval Service involvement in drug search and interdiction operations. However, I would like to report that the Naval Service has been involved in 11 drug interdiction operations, under the direction of the aforementioned joint task force to date this year.