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Revenue Commissioners Resources

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 12 February 2019

Tuesday, 12 February 2019

Ceisteanna (192)

John Curran

Ceist:

192. Deputy John Curran asked the Minister for Finance the expenditure and allocations attributable to the drugs programme that were made by the Revenue Commissioners custom service in each of the past five years; the projects and programmes supported by the funding, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7119/19]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

Revenue is an integrated tax and customs administration. I am advised by Revenue that it has maintained staffing levels of approximately 2,000 staff across the State in the past five years who are engaged in activities that are dedicated to targeting and confronting non-compliance. These activities include anti-smuggling and anti-evasion, investigation and prosecution, audit, assurance checks, anti-avoidance, returns compliance and debt collection.

The following table provides estimates of the staff and resources in Revenue dedicated to anti-smuggling and prosecutions including resources for the discharge of its role in relation to illegal drugs.

Estimates

Year

Staff Headcount

Salary and Admin costs

€000s

2014

469

23,747

2015

444

23,009

2016

479

24,307

2017

461

24,277

2018

457

24,371

As part of its risk focused approach to the discharge of its role in relation to illegal drugs importations, harbours and inlets along the coastline are monitored and evaluated by Revenue on an ongoing basis from the point of view of the potential for smuggling. This work is supplemented by Revenue's Customs Drug Watch Programme, aimed at encouraging members of the public, coastal and local maritime communities to notify Revenue of suspect or unusual movements at sea or around the coast by way of a confidential 24/7 Drugs Watch, free phone facility.

Revenue is active in targeting and combatting drugs smuggling and is fully committed to tackling this criminal activity and those responsible for it. I am advised by Revenue that it has an enforcement presence at all key airports and ports and at other strategic locations and that it places particular emphasis on developing an intelligence-based focus at both national and regional level, deploying resources to areas of highest risk. Enforcement strength at particular locations is regularly augmented with additional personnel on a risk-assessment basis, or when particular operations are taking place against illegal activity.

Revenue works closely with other agencies in the State, including An Garda Síochána and the Health Products Regulatory Authority, in acting against the illegal drugs trade, and plays a key role as well in the implementation of aspects of the National Drugs Strategy. The relevant authorities in the State also work closely with their counterparts in Northern Ireland to target organised crime groups that are involved in a range of criminal activities, including the illegal drugs trade. I understand that this work to tackle cross-jurisdictional organised crime is being supported and reinforced by the establishment, in the framework of “A Fresh Start: The Stormont Agreement and Implementation Plan”, of the Joint Agency Task Force, which includes Revenue. In addition, Revenue is involved actively in international fora, including the EU’s Customs Cooperation Working Party, Europol and the World Customs Organisation, in working together with other administrations, agencies and services to counter the trafficking of drugs and drugs precursors.

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