John Perry (Sligo-Leitrim, Fine Gael)

I support Deputy Broughan's amendment. The detention of ships is an important issue. Powers are being conferred on the authority, the inspectorate or whoever is policing this work. As the section is worded what is the definition of "suspects" and how is that assumption made? There has to be a certain caveat for suspecting that an offence has been committed. That the inspector must have an inclination that something is not right gives a certain discretion to the authorised officer. This is a big issue because of the level of trafficking into the ports of Ireland. Section 25(1) reads:

Where an inspector, in exercise of the powers conferred on him or her by this Act, detains a ship and the person on board the ship at a port or other place in the State, an inspector who suspects that an offence under section 16 or 24 has been committed in relation to the ship ...

This is the core of the prosecution. The Minister should take the amendment tabled by Deputy Broughan on board. It is reasonable and gives more powers to the officer.

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