Charles Flanagan (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)

The Minister has referred to measuring the success or failure of Government policy to deal with drugs. I suggest the policy, involving not only his Department but also the Department of Education and Science, the Department of Health and Children and the national drugs strategy has been a total failure. In the past four years there has been an increase in the number of drug offences recorded in the order of 75% and an increase in the number of offences in the matter of selling and supplying of drugs in the order of 60%. This represents a significant problem. Meanwhile, there is a cut in Garda overtime in the order of in excess of €20 million. Undoubtedly, that will result in a reduction in the availability of frontline services. For example, the dial-a-drug helpline which was available on a confidential basis for people to report activities of drug dealing to the Garda has been closed down. The service is no more simply because the funding is not available.

The Minister referred to the maritime centre in Lisbon, but we can no longer rely on the EU to solve our drugs problem. The customs service in our island nation polices 4,300 km of coastline, but there is only one cutter for patrol. The Minister's colleague, Deputy Conor Lenihan, in reply to a parliamentary question last week stated that it was not possible to be precise about the timing of the second boat. That is long since promised, but has not been delivered.

The south-west coast is a renowned drugs gateway. We read about it all the time, but no effort is made to secure our coast line. What is being done to ensure the supply of drugs is cut off at the point of entry to the State, namely, our ports and coasts?

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