Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)

Is the Minister aware there are 27 private airports in the country and that if statistics are to be believed, there is a significant upsurge in private ownership, leasing and chartering of aircraft and helicopters for private use? Is he aware that in the six-month period between February and end-July some 142 flights originating from EU countries and the European mainland and another five flights from outside the European Union's jurisdiction flew into Weston, but that in that period customs and excise paid only 11 planned and three unplanned visits to Weston? If one does the maths, this means that anybody could bring in guns, drugs or people illegally into the country. It is not a question of closing the stable door after the horse has bolted, but of leaving the stable door wide open.

I do not know if the Minister ever gets the chance to visit working class communities which are currently awash with drugs and where the price of drugs is cheaper than drink on a debs night out. These small private aerodromes are not subject to any form of serious surveillance by customs authorities. As the person with overall responsibility for ensuring customs officers try to keep the country safe from an explosion of imported drugs, what is the Minister's response to this problem?

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