Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)

It is fortuitous that the Chairman of the Joint Committee on Justice, Equality, Defence and Women's Rights is in the Chair for such an important debate. This is the only justice measure to come before the House on which I have not tabled amendments because it involves the enactment of protocols and international covenants under which Ireland has agreed to share information and ensure effective policing throughout Europe.

As all our business becomes more globalised, it must be ensured that the defences we put in place to protect ourselves from international crime are also robust. I welcome these measures and I am guided by the work of the Joint Committee on Child Protection over the past number of months. Major concerns raised at its meetings are the trafficking of people to Ireland and other member states and the movement of convicted paedophiles, particularly when their whereabouts are not known by authorities. These issues need more regulation and publicity.

In the past few days Ireland has been given a good reason to consider very carefully the international movement of drugs. The horrific double murder of two individuals yesterday, one of whom was plying his trade and was totally innocent, underscores the importance of ensuring a robust policing support system in the State. Drug lords based in Spain and the Netherlands are trafficking drugs into Ireland and it has become a billion euro business. The interdictions of drugs in the first ten months of this year highlight a tenfold increase in the volume of drugs seized by the Garda compared to the same period last year. While I congratulate the Garda on this magnificent success, unfortunately, it has not impacted on the availability or price of heroin on the streets. We have an enormous job to do and a robust response is needed to the expanding international drugs cartels, which are peddling death on our streets.

I support the legislation, which will be an additional weapon in the armoury of the Garda, as it will allow the force to share information. I hope the European Union will put in place as robust and unified a policing system as possible to monitor international crime.

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