Barry Andrews (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)

The Minister has particularly asked me to mention the establishment of the Maritime Analysis and Operational Centre (Narcotics) in Lisbon. Established in 2007, the centre is focused on targeting the sea and air cocaine routes from Central and South America into the European Union. It collects and analyses operational information, enhances intelligence through better information exchange, and ascertains the availability of assets to facilitate interdictions in accordance with the national laws of the countries involved. The centre is an international and inter-agency co-ordination force, focused on intelligence exchange leading to the interdiction of large maritime and aviation drug shipments, and to the severing of links between transportation networks and the shore-based command and control personnel.

Ireland, the United Kingdom, Spain, Portugal, Italy, France and the Netherlands are the founding members of the centre. Europol, the European Commission and the US joint inter-agency task force south are observers at the centre. Ireland has Garda and customs liaison officers based at the centre on a full-time basis. The Naval Service appoints an officer to the centre for the duration of operations with Irish involvement. This summer, Ireland became the first member state to ratify the international agreement establishing the centre. The Minister, Deputy Dermot Ahern, is fully supportive of Irish participation in the centre. The Minister is also supportive of all measures that involve practical co-operation and increase international co-ordination.

The Minister wishes to assure the Deputy that he will continue to keep the measures for tackling all forms of drug trafficking under review. The enforcement of the law on drugs continues to be a key element in the Government's policing priorities and this is reflected in An Garda Síochána's policing plan for 2008.

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