The primary responsibility for the prevention of drug trafficking, trafficking in human beings and terrorist attacks rests with the Garda and the Revenue Commissioners, who are also responsible for the detention of persons and/or the seizure of drugs or equipment at sea. The White Paper on Defence gives the Naval Service and the Air Corps a security role in assisting and supporting the civil authorities in this important work. 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 EU.
The Government has taken measures to improve drugs law enforcement, including the establishment in 1993 of a joint task force involving the Garda, the Customs and Excise and the Naval Service. Such measures have helped to maximise the effective use of the resources of the Naval Service in combating drug trafficking, etc. The Air Corps provides air support and sometimes carries the customs national drugs team in an observation capacity for the purpose of monitoring vessels suspected of drug trafficking or other such illegal activities. The civil authorities — the Garda and the customs service — engage in close co-operation with the Naval Service and the Air Corps in discharging this important mission. I am satisfied that the extent of Naval Service and Air Corps reconnaissance measures, in conjunction with the Garda and the Customs and Excise, has had a major and beneficial impact in deterring drug trafficking and other such illegal activities.