Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)

If we sell the MV Matthew, that will come in under appropriations next year. It will be a net gain. I agree with Deputies Shay Brennan and Colm Burke that given the significant cost of maintaining and berthing it, it would be value for money to sell it for scrap at this stage and thereby avoid the ongoing annual costs.

The gas canisters referred to by Deputy Brennan have built up on foot of multiple seizures over a number of years. Some 140,483 canisters and 130,670 ampoules, which are small, silver, single-use containers, have been seized by Revenue since 2021. In 2024, following a public tender process, Revenue engaged a licensed chemical waste agent, Veolia, to collect, transport and dispose of large quantities of nitrous gas. Veolia commenced the disposal of nitrous gas in 2025, working through the large volumes of canisters and ampoules that had built up since 2021. It is anticipated that there will not be the same cost next year because this issue has been dealt with now.