P J Sheehan (Cork South West, Fine Gael)

I thank Deputy Coveney for allowing me two minutes of his time. The find of a massive cocaine haul off the coast of south-west Cork in Dunlough Bay, near Mizen Head, yesterday, 2 July 2007, was valued at more than €300 million, making it the biggest drugs find in the history of the State. Priority must be given to policing our coastline, involving investment in our coastal defences, gardaí in coastal areas, the coastguard services, the Naval Service and the Customs and Excise.

Did a CASA patrol aeroplane monitor this area in the 48 hours prior to this event? A CASA patrol aeroplane monitors every Irish fishing trawler that leaves our ports and the Irish Naval Service intercepts them in Irish territorial waters and investigates them. How was this international yacht free to enter Irish waters with her deadly haul of cocaine worth €300 million and to put it aboard RIB inflated crafts to bring ashore in Dunlough Bay in my constituency, five miles from where I live?

The Taoiseach, in his reply today, said there would be an international monitoring conference in Lisbon and that he had been in communication with the relevant people. The State did not hear about this incident until the Goleen inshore rescue service was called out on humanitarian grounds to rescue three people clinging onto the raft in Dunlough Bay, after one had swum ashore to raise the alarm at 7 a.m., which alerted the authorities. The Goleen inshore rescue service was the only service that was called to the area. This is not proper management of our coastal area and I urge the Government to take immediate steps to arrest a practice that has been going on for years. The Minister and the Government have been warned about this over the years.

The time is ripe for action and not pious words. Actions speak louder than words. The Government will have to act before it is too late and I appeal to the Minister of State to do so.

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