Dr. Johnny Connolly:

Being an island nation, we are exposed to the fact that there is all kinds of movement on the seas around us. Ironically, the base within Europe where the combined nations of the European Union tackle this issue is in Lisbon. Mr. Courage on a regular basis would represent the Garda Síochána and the national drug unit in the organisation in Lisbon which tackles the movement of drugs on the high seas. We are regularly involved in tackling that aspect of the problem. These vessels move through the seas in our jurisdiction but that does not always mean the drugs are destined for Ireland, although they are in some instances. It is just another part of the business that needs to be dealt with at an international level through the combined efforts of EU member states and the broader international law enforcement community.