Derek Keating (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Ceann Comhairle for giving me the opportunity to raise this issue and the Minister for Finance for attending the Chamber to respond to it. It involves a serious criminal matter. The Garda in Waterford was tipped off about the theft of a trailer and, as a result, obtained a search warrant which was executed last Friday. It resulted in the seizure of several large tanks and equipment which had the hallmarks of fuel laundering on a large scale. To date, the information available from the Customs service shows this plant for laundering diesel was fully operational up until recently. It was sophisticated, involving bleaching, namely, the removal of green dye from legitimate diesel.

This is a new development as the majority of laundering operations have been found in the Border counties, operated by subversive groups. These operations defraud the State of millions of euro in revenue every year. They also damage cars and industrial equipment because of the substandard product that is circulated. Revenue has shut down over 100 fuel outlets and over 20 fuel laundries with sophisticated equipment.

A major side effect for the State is the clean-up operations after these criminals dump the sludge, in many cases on the side of the road. Louth County Council has received extra funding to address the crisis of sludge being improperly disposed of, causing not only a toxic threat but also a highly expensive recycling process.

For the first time in the most southern part of the country, a serious development of criminality has occurred, a massive shock to the local community in Waterford. Does the Minister believe a specialised Garda-Customs service unit needs to be established, particularly since that if it were not for the finding of a stolen trailer, there was every possibility the Waterford operation would not have been discovered?

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