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

The Naval Service plays a vital role in the State's fight against drug smuggling as a member of the joint task force on drug interdiction, together with the Revenue Commissioners and An Garda Síochána. While the Customs Service of the Revenue Commissioners has primary responsibility for the prevention of drug smuggling, and responsibility for the prevention of crime rests primarily with An Garda Síochána, the White Paper on Defence in 2000 provided a security role for the Naval Service and Air Corps to assist these authorities in this important work. This is another area in which the two Departments overlap. The joint task force on drug interdiction was established in 1993 as a Government measure to improve law enforcement on drugs and it consists of members of An Garda Síochána, the Customs Service and the Naval Service.

Naval Service maritime patrols and surveillance operations are carried out on a 24/7 basis with a commitment to having a minimum of three ships on patrol at all times. In the last ten years, the Naval Service was involved in two significant drug interdiction operations, one in 2007 in Dunlough Bay and one off the west Cork coast in 2008. These inter-agency operations resulted in the seizure of 3.2 tonnes of cocaine which had an approximate street value of €1.2 billion.

In addition, the Naval Service, as a member of the joint task force, is committed to an international initiative, the Maritime Analysis and Operations Centre – Narcotics. The centre, which was established in 2007, has led to a greater focus on intelligence exchange amongst countries to tackle large drug shipments by sea. It was set up by seven European countries and is designed as an international coordination force with access to national tasking agencies.

Also, the acquisition of the two new offshore patrol vessels for the Naval Service, to be delivered in 2014 and 2015 respectively, together with a continuous process of refurbishment on the other vessels, will ensure that the service can continue to carry out its drug interdiction and other roles in the challenging sea conditions off our coast.

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