Bertie Ahern (Dublin Central, Fianna Fail)

It would certainly be worth more than €100 million. This is a matter of serious concern.

The Garda, Naval Service and Customs and Excise service are all involved in the recovery and investigation process. While it is too early to draw conclusions about the source of the drugs or their intended destination, this will emerge from the investigations. In the past number of years, there has been evidence of increased cocaine smuggling by maritime traffic into Europe from the Caribbean and South America, which often involves leisure craft landing in remote locations. While Ireland has experienced seizures of that nature in the past few years, the coasts of Spain and Portugal appear to be the main known landing locations. However, it is clear from yesterday's events that remote inlets also constitute targets for smugglers.

The Revenue Commissioner's maritime unit acquired a cutter three years ago that carries out surveillance and interception operations at sea as determined by the assessment of risk of illicit activity or by intelligence reports. Revenue regularly reviews the adequacy of the resources in this regard and of course will take yesterday's event into account. The cutter has been on the scene since yesterday morning.

Intelligence is the key to success in this regard and the Customs and Excise service has close contacts with its counterparts in other countries regarding deal movements. As for Deputy Rabbitte's question on what is happening to improve this, we are participating with a number of other countries in the establishment of the maritime operations analysis centre for narcotics in Lisbon. This is a direct response to the growing threat of cocaine smuggling into Europe from South America and the Caribbean. It is well under way and I have been briefed that most of the work on it has taken place.

This is a significant initiative and is intended to focus on targeting the sea cocaine routes into the European Union. It will collect and analyse operational information, enhance intelligence through better information exchange, ascertain the availability of assets to facilitate interaction in accordance with the national laws of the participants and will involve the United Kingdom, Spain, Portugal, Italy, Ireland, France and the Netherlands in participation in the centre's work. While it is hoped the agreement in this regard will be finalised before the summer break, it has been ongoing for some time.

In addition to international intelligence, obviously a key role exists in respect of the activities of people in coastal areas. We have had a number of seizures of cocaine on the coasts. As I understand that one was valued at €40 million and another at €50 million, it is obvious that there are significant movements. This one is exceptionally large and obviously we were lucky to intercept it.

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