Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 15 May 2001

Vol. 536 No. 2

Written Answers - Drug Seizures.

Dinny McGinley

Ceist:

93 Mr. McGinley asked the Minister for Defence the number of drug seizure operations involving the Naval Service and An Garda Síochána in each of the past two years and to date; the number of such operations which have resulted in drugs being seized; the type of drugs seized; the number of prosecutions which resulted from such operations; and his proposals to enable the Naval Service play a greater role in this area. [13824/01]

Alan Shatter

Ceist:

179 Mr. Shatter asked the Minister for Defence the number of drug seizure operations involving both the Naval Service and An Garda Síochána in each of the past two years and in 2001 to date; the number of such operations which have resulted in drugs being seized; the type of drugs seized; the number of prosecutions which resulted from such operations; and his proposals to enable the Naval Service play a greater role in this area. [13876/01]

Minister for Defence (Mr. M. Smith)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 93 and 179 together.

The Naval Service is the State's principal sea-going agency and is tasked with a variety of defence and other roles. It is equipped with a total of eight vessels comprising one helicopter carrying vessel, five offshore patrol vessels and two coastal patrol vessels. The patrol vessel, the le Roisin, was commissioned on 15 December 1999 and became operational immediately afterwards. A further vessel to be named le Niamh, which will replace the le Deirdre, is due for delivery and should be operational in July this year.

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. The service is tasked with patrolling all Irish waters from the shoreline to the outer limits of the exclusive economic zone. These patrols are carried out on a regular and frequent basis and are directed to all areas of Irish waters as necessary. Fishery protection patrols are complemented by assistance provided by the Air Corps in the form of aerial surveillance by the two Casa maritime patrol aircraft.

Fishery protection activity accounts for over 90% of all Naval Service patrol time. However, as the need arises, Naval Service vessels may be deployed to other duties such as search and rescue, aid to the civil power, drug interdiction operations and assistance with pollution control. 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, Government measures to improve law enforcement in relation to drugs, including the establishment, 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.

During the course of routine patrols Naval Service vessels may be deployed to drug interdiction 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. While Naval Service personnel are designated as enforcement officers under the Criminal Justice Act, 1994, in practice the Naval Service operates under the direction of the joint task force where measures to combat the importation of illegal drugs are concerned. During 1999, the Naval Service was directly involved in 11 drug related operations under the auspices of the joint task force and in 16 drug related operations in 2000. From the start of 2001 to date, there have been six of these operations involving the Naval Service and the joint task force.

The detention of personnel and/or the seizure of drugs or equipment, which may be made at sea or onshore as deemed appropriate, are the responsibilities of the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform and the Garda authorities. I am satisfied that the Naval Service continues to play an important role in this most vital area of drug interdiction.