Joe Costello (Dublin Central, Labour)

I thank the Ceann Comhairle for allowing us to raise this issue on the Adjournment. We are of the view that there is a need for the Minister to review the circumstances surrounding the granting of an international haulage licence to a convicted drug dealer and also that this licence should be revoked with immediate effect.

This extraordinary case has been bubbling up for a number of years but it has recently begun to come to the boil. Many aspects of the case relate to the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform. However, there are some which relate to the Department of Transport. The latter took the major decision to grant Kieran Boylan, a notorious drug dealer with convictions in Britain and Ireland, a licence to conduct his business as a haulage contractor. This matter was brought to the attention of the Department of Transport in 2003 and 2008 - on both occasions a licence was granted - by which time the gentleman in question had been convicted in respect of attempting to supply €750,000 worth of heroine and cocaine that was seized in the docklands area of my constituency. On 31 July 2008 a nolle prosequi was entered by the Attorney General in very strange circumstances. Having been granted a licence in September 2008, the same gentleman applied to have the name which appears on it changed into the Irish form. This all took place despite the fact that there were clear breaches of the rules and guidelines surrounding the granting of international haulage licences.

As everyone is aware, Mr. Boylan's convictions are of the most serious kind. Cocaine and heroine have caused a great deal of destruction among the communities my constituency and that of the Minister of State, Deputy Curran. To grant an international haulage licence to someone convicted of the crime of supplying drugs could only compound the problem. It is extraordinary that such a licence was granted without the most stringent examination being carried out in the first instance.

The Minister appeared to indicate that accurate information was not provided. He must provide the House with a full explanation with regard to what exactly transpired in this case. What were the circumstances in which the licence was initially granted and then renewed and transferred into the Irish version of the gentleman's name? What information did the Garda provide in respect of this matter? Was the Department misled? If so, why was that the case and who was responsible? The Minister must get to the bottom of this matter.

Pending the outcome of the full inquiry, the Minister has at his disposal sufficient prima facie evidence - in the form of his admission to the Department in respect of his convictions - that the man in question is not a suitable person to hold an international haulage licence. As a result, that licence should be revoked forthwith.

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