Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I am very grateful to the Deputy for raising these very important matters. It is very important we discuss them and the difficulties in this area in this House. The problem of drug misuse remains one of the most challenging and complex issues faced by modern society. The Government's overall approach to tackling the problem of drug misuse is being pursued in a co-ordinated and integrated way through the national drugs strategy 2009-16.

Drugs law enforcement is one element of this response and is a key feature of our overall integrated approach. I can inform the House that An Garda Síochána continues to prioritise organised crime and the sale and supply of drugs as a core focus for 2012 through the Garda Síochána policing plan. Work in this area is led by the Garda national drugs unit which works closely with dedicated divisional and district drugs units on a nationwide basis, together with other national Garda units, including the organised crime unit and the Criminal Assets Bureau.

Of course, An Garda Síochána also works in close co-operation with the Revenue Commissioners - customs service - and with other drug law enforcement agencies, such as the Irish Medicines Board. Furthermore, An Garda Síochána has developed strong and strategic partnerships at international level which is absolutely crucial because the drugs trade is international and some of the drugs gangs with which we are confronted operate internationally.

This approach continues to yield significant results, which I would like to acknowledge. For example, from January to August 2012, Garda figures indicate that a total of 11,263 drug offences were detected, with 9,743 related arrests made. Furthermore, with regard to drug seizures, drugs with an estimated value of €59.3 million were recorded during the first six months of the year. They were very substantial drugs seizures. This seizure data do not include a number of significant seizures made at the end of that six month period, which remain the subject of further analysis, nor do they include some very recent large seizures which will appear in the next official statistics when they become available.

For example, the figures do not include the largest ever inland seizure of cocaine in the jurisdiction, which was made in the west Dublin and Kildare areas last June as part of a joint operation involving both the Garda and the customs authorities.

As the Deputy has highlighted the drugs market and the consumption of drugs is a dynamic phenomenon and trends emerge from time to time with users often trying different combinations of drugs, which sometimes involves the mixing of legal and illegal drugs, as well as various modes of consumption. I agree with him that all Members should be categorical in their condemnation of drug use and of drug trading and should not seek in any way to suggest this is a healthy option for any individual in this State nor should they seek to diminish the criminality involved in the supply and sale of drugs. The emergence in recent times of large scale cannabis cultivation sites, the increase in the consumption of new psychoactive substances and the increasing illicit trade in medicines are particular features of the current drugs landscape we are facing.

Our drugs law enforcement authorities remain cognisant of this and proactively tackle new features of the drugs trade as they emerge. Operation Nitrogen is a Garda operation which continues to be successful in identifying and dismantling cannabis cultivation sites throughout the country. For example, during 2011, more than 500 so-called grow houses were located during intelligence led operations resulting in more than 26,000 cannabis plants with an estimated value of €10.5 million being seized. I expect those actions of the Garda would be welcomed by every Member, including Deputy Luke "Ming" Flanagan, who was referred to by the Deputy. This remains a key focus of the Garda's drug enforcement efforts and recent successes in this respect include the detection of major cannabis production sites in Navan, County Meath and in Malin, County Donegal with related arrests.

I refer to an issue of enormous importance, which is a great danger to people. The Deputy drew particular attention to the emerging problems we are seeing with the illegal trade in prescription drugs which has been acknowledged as an increasing problem being experienced across the country. Our law enforcement agencies are also vigorously responding to this problem as demonstrated by the recent successes achieved by the Irish Medicines Board, IMB, Revenue's customs service and An Garda Síochána through their involvement in Operation Pangea V. This Interpol-led operation, which was conducted between 25 September and 2 October 2012, involved an international week of law enforcement action targeting the online sale of counterfeit and illegal medicines throughout Europe. In Ireland, the joint operation by the IMB, the customs service and Garda led to the detention of more than 120,000 tablets-capsules with an estimated value in excess of €375,000. The number of packages detained during the operation in Ireland by the customs service was 282 while 11 search warrants were executed resulting in four arrests. It is important to note the substances seized included products for weight loss and erectile dysfunction as well as mood stabilisers. People who acquire counterfeit drugs may find themselves with nothing better than a placebo or buying the equivalent of Smarties in their local confectionery shop and they can, in some circumstances, place their lives at serious risk. They should not engage in these purchases from websites or from individuals on street corners.

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