Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

In this House over the years, I have consistently raised the need to implement the most severe measures possible to deal with illicit trade which, as the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, Deputy Heather Humphreys, will know, is a particular problem for the Ulster counties on both sides of the Border. A year ago, I introduced legislation in this House calling for the establishment of a cross-Border multitask agency to deal with this illicit trade. I recognise and welcome the fact that some of the measures proposed in the Fresh Start agreement follow some of what we proposed. In view of the ongoing illicit trade and loss of revenue to our State, however, can the Minister now give further consideration to the establishment of a single cross-Border agency encompassing representatives of the Minister's Department, Customs and Excise, An Garda Síochána and the Environmental Protection Agency with their counterparts in the appropriate statutory authorities north of the Border? Not alone does the illegal trade in fuel, tobacco products and other products cause loss of revenue to the State and huge damage to legitimate businesses, particularly small businesses, there is also a threat to our environment with the dumping of sludge and material arising from the washing of diesel. It will cause damage to the reputation of our farming industry as well, and the authenticity and provenance of our food production can be threatened by this dumping of sludge and other raw materials. I hope the Minister will give further consideration to the establishment of a cross-Border agency to ensure we stamp out the illicit trade which is doing so much damage to so many people and to society.

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