Séamus Pattison (Carlow-Kilkenny, Labour)
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The remaining two matters are related. I will call on Deputy Burton, who has five minutes, and Deputy Gregory, who also has five minutes. The Minister of State will give a single reply.

Brian Lenihan Jnr (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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I can give a joint reply, but I have two separate texts, since the issue raised by Deputy Gregory is being addressed by the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform, Deputy McDowell.

Séamus Pattison (Carlow-Kilkenny, Labour)
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In that case, they can be taken separately. I call Deputy Burton.

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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I have raised the issue of airport smuggling checks on several occasions, as have certain party colleagues. As the Minister of State has pointed out, customs regulation is ultimately a function of the Department of Finance and the Revenue Commissioners. I call for the introduction of permanent customs and security checks at Weston Executive Airport and all the other small airports around the country following yesterday's seizure of drugs from a passenger and the arrest of the pilot and co-pilot on a flight to Belgium that originated there.

Small airports dotted around the country unsurprisingly offer great opportunities for smuggling drugs, goods and even people into Ireland and the EU. I congratulate gardaí on the success of their operation in co-operation with Belgian police. They intercepted a massive quantity of heroin that would otherwise have made it onto the streets of Ireland, Britain or mainland Europe and brought misery to people's lives.

However, that two Irishmen were arrested and that the flight originated at a private Irish airport, that an Irish plane was used, and that no security was in place suggests that our small airports risk being used as staging-posts in the international drugs trade. Criminals are clearly able to charter private aircraft and proceed to rendezvous points either in this country or abroad without the authorities knowing of their cargo or the purpose of their journey. That is extraordinary, and the Government must move quickly to address that anomaly, particularly as we all know that in Celtic tiger Ireland there has been massive growth in the ownership of private aeroplanes and helicopters.

Moreover, it is staggering that private individuals can lease their aircraft or allow them to be used by others, as was the suggestion yesterday regarding Mr. Mansfield, the owner of the plane. I understand his company also owns Weston Aerodrome. He appears to have been completely in the dark regarding what the aeroplane was being used for. There must clearly be a wholesale review of security arrangements, and especially customs arrangements, at every airport in the country. We cannot have Ireland as a drop-off point or staging-post for the international drugs trade.

Weston's location in west Dublin and the severe problems of gang and drug violence on the entire west side of the city, of which I know the Minister of State is acutely aware, make it a particularly vulnerable target. If one adds to that the absolute lack of community policing there and the intelligence that such policing would provide, one sees that we are very vulnerable. We want the kind of surveillance at those small airports that one has nowadays in Dublin Airport. Statistics on seizures there show that the use of sniffer dogs and more up-to-date technology to track flights and so on will, over a period, produce results.

We clearly now have an unlocked door at small airports regarding smuggling and the international drugs trade. We saw in the Ryder Cup the massive use of private helicopters and aircraft in and out of Weston and similar locations on the west side of Dublin. Thankfully, what happened this time has ended with some success for the policing authority. However, a plan must be put in place immediately, and we clearly require the co-operation not only of the customs authorities and the Minister for Finance but of the Garda and policing authorities.

Brian Lenihan Jnr (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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I make this reply on behalf of the Minister for Finance and the Customs Service of the Office of the Revenue Commissioners. I thank Deputy Burton for raising this matter.

The Customs Service of the Office of the Revenue Commissioners has primary responsibility for the prevention, detection, interception and seizure of controlled drugs at importation. It has particular responsibility for implementing import controls at points of entry to the State, specifically at ports and airports, including licensed airfields, and on the land frontier. The control of licensed airfields in the State is carried out by customs enforcement teams. Those are dedicated anti-smuggling teams that focus on the smuggling of prohibited drugs and fiscal products.

Other duties undertaken by officers in attending licensed airfields include the clearance of aircraft and passengers arriving from third countries, spot checks on EU flights, the verification of fuel drawback claims, verification of end-use authorisations, clearance of aircraft under transfer of residence, and checks on private aircraft to ensure compliance with import procedures.

Best practice in customs administration worldwide shows that the development of information and intelligence is critical to the detection of drug smuggling. In Ireland, this has become very important since the completion of the Single Market in 1993, based as it is on the free movement of goods and people within the Community. As EU citizens have the right of free movement, Revenue has no power to stop an EU citizen except on the basis of a suspicion, normally grounded in specific intelligence.

A number of years ago, Revenue introduced a memorandum of understanding initiative, which involved reaching agreement with a number of organisations, trade associations and individual companies in the transport industry to encourage them to join the fight against drug smuggling as part of the Customs Drugs Watch programme. The programme incorporates a coastal and airfield reporting system whereby local customs officers visit all licensed aerodromes and airfields regularly. They have put in place a confidential system of communication between the licensed aerodrome operators and customs enforcement. Through this network, which is two-way, officers have discussed with the operators such matters as known methods used by drug smugglers and indicators of suspicious activity. This can help the operators in identifying situations and activities that may indicate a drug smuggling operation is under way and which they should report. This reporting system is an important element in the fight against drug smuggling.

In addition to local intelligence, the Customs and Excise shares and receives information and intelligence on drug smuggling from a number of international bodies, including the World Customs Organisation, United Nations Drug Control Programme, Interpol, Council of Europe, Europol and the UK's Serious Organised Crime Agency.

Customs and Excise liaises on an ongoing basis with other national and international enforcement services such as the Garda Síochána, the Naval Service, the Air Corps, and foreign customs and police services. It takes part regularly in European, bilateral and national surveillance operations focused on specific drug smuggling methodologies, including general aviation. Some of these operations have been specifically directed at light aircraft and helicopter movements.

The Deputy will appreciate that it would be inappropriate for the Minister to comment in detail on specific operations in the criminal area of drug smuggling. The reported seizure earlier this week in Belgium of 50 kg of heroin, the arrest of three Irish nationals and the seizure of an aircraft based at Weston Aerodrome are of major concern to the Revenue Commissioners. To give an indication of the volume of arrivals in the State through Weston, the Minister understands that from February 2006 to the end of July 2006 there have been 142 flight arrivals from EU countries there and five from non-EU countries. This is in comparison with 1,500 flights every week arriving in Dublin Airport. It should be noted that drugs to the value of €6.7 million have been seized by Customs and Excise to date in 2006 at Dublin Airport.

In 2004, officers attached to the Dublin enforcement district carried out 12 planned and six unplanned visits to Weston. During 2005, ten planned and six unplanned and to-date in 2006, 11 planned and three unplanned visits have been made to Weston by officers of the Revenue's customs service.

In light of the Belgian seizure this week, the Minister is advised that the Revenue Commissioners are reviewing the risks attached to the operation of, and procedures attaching to, all 27 licensed aerodromes in the State, including in particular Weston. I am assured that the monitoring of licensed aerodromes in the State by the Revenue Commissioners is in line with international standards. The Revenue's customs service is continually engaged in the analysis and evaluation of seizure trends, routes and smuggling risks and consequential resource deployment. All Customs and Excise operations are risk focused, and staff are deployed to combat areas of greatest risk. The level of activity at licensed aerodromes is constantly monitored from a risk perspective.

However, in light of the concerns raised by the seizure this week, the conditions under which the Revenue Commissioners approve licensed aerodromes will be immediately reviewed. The review will include options for improving the level of control and prior reporting of arrivals from EU and non-EU countries. Revenue will also review the frequency of checking incoming flights to these aerodromes.

Tony Gregory (Dublin Central, Independent)
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My issue is substantially the same. I am glad to hear the Minister of State state that the Customs and Excise cover is now being reviewed. The local Independent Deputy for the Weston area, however, Deputy Catherine Murphy, who is present, raised this issue with the Minister on Question Time in February this year. In the reply on that occasion, the Minister accepted that customs officers should visit the aerodrome regularly as a check against the landing or exploitation of prohibitive goods, in particular controlled drugs, but it did not happen. It is now water under the bridge, but I hope the Minister will be somewhat more attentive when these issues are raised in the future.

I note that the Minister of State, Deputy Brian Lenihan, in his reply on behalf of the Minister for Finance, said that the total value of drugs that came into Dublin Airport in one year which were seized came to €6.7 million. Despite this, one flight to Weston yesterday could have brought in €10 million worth of the worst of drugs, heroin. It is no wonder that licence cover should now be reviewed. This is in the context of the seizure of a consignment of heroin valued at €7 million at Ratoath, County Meath, a couple of months ago. These amounts of heroin are unprecedented in the history of the drugs crisis in this State. It seems to be in the context of the enormous heroin crop in Afghanistan in recent times. Whatever happened via Weston when the Belgian authorities were able to seize the drugs demonstrates the sophisticated level the international drugs trade has reached. Unfortunately, the replies to Deputy Catherine Murphy in this House indicate that this State has not reached the same sophisticated level in response to these issues. I hope to heaven that it does respond effectively.

One other aspect of this concerns me. Apparently an executive jet with half a dozen people on board or whatever can land at Weston and they can just step into a taxi on the tarmac and drive off. That is quite incredible in this day and age. There is no check by the Garda or Customs and Excise or anybody. We know the owners of Weston have not got a great record in terms of their respect for the law of this land. I am not sure why the Minister of State, Deputy Brian Lenihan, finds this so amusing. I do not find it amusing. Neither do I believe does Deputy Catherine Murphy, who has raised this issue for a long time, find it amusing.

The reality is that this plane was owned by Mr. Mansfield. It came——--

Séamus Pattison (Carlow-Kilkenny, Labour)
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The Deputy should not raise the names of private individuals in the House as they have no way of defending themselves.

Tony Gregory (Dublin Central, Independent)
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It is not the first time he has been mentioned here. The Leas-Cheann Comhairle did not mention that to the previous speaker who raised his name. However——

Séamus Pattison (Carlow-Kilkenny, Labour)
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He should not be mentioned in this context. The Deputy should not abuse the privilege of the House.

Tony Gregory (Dublin Central, Independent)
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I am simply stating something that is a matter of public record, namely, that he has no regard for the planning laws of this State in particular. I find that an additional worrying aspect to the manner in which this airport has been used by the international drugs trade. I hope all these issues are addressed. I have already raised this issue on the floor of the House in the context of the Criminal Justice (Mutual Assistance) Bill today. I called on the Minister to ensure that the Criminal Assets Bureau thoroughly investigates all those connected with that drugs operation in Belgium.

Brian Lenihan Jnr (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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I thank Deputy Gregory for raising this important issue and giving me the opportunity, on behalf of the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform, to update the House on this matter.

The reported seizure earlier this week in Belgium of 50 kg of heroin, the arrest of three Irish nationals and the seizure of an aircraft based at Weston Aerodrome is a matter of major concern to the Government. All attempts at large-scale smuggling of illegal drugs into this country need to be considered in the context in which such activity takes place. The global illicit drugs trade, according to the United Nations Office for Drugs and Crime, is reputed to exceed billions of dollars annually. The key drivers for this phenomenon include both economics and the attitude of societies towards illicit drug consumption.

The economic environment impacts on illicit drug consumption and supply in two principal ways. First, the increased prosperity brought about by globalisation and by the development of our own economy has provided significant disposable income to most citizens. This has pulled the demand for drugs within the State, as well as making Ireland a popular market for criminal organisations involved in the international drugs market. Second, globalisation itself has caused international trade in both goods and services to increase exponentially over the past decade, making it easier for criminal networks to conceal illicit commodities within legitimate freight. As a small open economy Ireland is particularly vulnerable. The economics of drug trafficking make it a particularly attractive activity for criminal organisations. This is principally driven by the considerable financial rewards which can accrue at each stage of the trafficking process. With the potential for high profit margins which the business of drug trafficking can facilitate, it is hardly surprising that drug trafficking and distribution is such an attractive prospect for organised crime.

The second major factor influencing the illicit drugs trade is the attitude within societies to the consumption of illicit drugs. Ireland continues to record significant levels of drug prevalence, as demonstrated by the results of the most recent comprehensive drug prevalence study conducted by the national advisory committee on drugs in 2002 and 2003. The significant demand for illegal drugs by Irish citizens fuels the drugs trade as well as the organised criminal gangs that supply and distribute illegal drugs within this society. The national drugs strategy addresses the problem of drug misuse across a number of pillars — supply reduction, prevention, treatment, rehabilitation and research — and implementation of the strategy across a range of Departments and agencies is co-ordinated by the Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs.

The criminal justice response is primarily, though not exclusively, in the area of drug supply control and the Garda plays a key role in tackling the problem of drug misuse locally, nationally and internationally. Garda strategies for dealing with drug offences are designed to undermine the activities of organised criminal networks involved in the trafficking and distribution of illicit drugs. These strategies include gathering intelligence on individuals and organisations involved in the distribution of drugs, conducting targeted operations on criminal networks based on intelligence gathered and working in collaboration with other law enforcement agencies within and outside the jurisdiction to address the national as well as international aspects of drug trafficking and distribution. These strategies continue to result in operational successes as evidenced by the ongoing levels of drugs seized by the Garda. The trafficking and distribution of all illicit drugs at local, national and international level is constantly monitored by the Garda.

The Customs and Excise service of the Revenue Commissioners has primary responsibility for the prevention, detection, interception and seizure of controlled drugs at importation. The service has particular responsibility for implementing import controls at points of entry to the State, specifically at ports, airports, including licensed airfields, and on the land frontier. A number of the specific measures being undertaken by both the Garda and the customs service to address the issues raised by the Deputy include continued co-operation between the Garda and the Customs and Excise service under the terms of the memorandum of understanding in place between both agencies in the proactive investigation of persons suspected to be involved in international drug trafficking; continued liaison with various law enforcement agencies throughout Europe through Europol and Interpol; ongoing formal and informal contact with management of aerodromes throughout the country; ongoing liaison with the Irish Aviation Authority in regard to the registration of aircraft and licensing of flight crews; rigorous checks on the issue of airside passes at larger airports to flight crews of smaller aircraft; and the customs drug watch programme which incorporates a coastal and airfield reporting system whereby local customs officers visit all licensed aerodromes and airfields regularly. This also includes a confidential system of communication between the licensed aerodrome operators and the Customs and Excise service. In addition to local intelligence, the customs service shares and receives information and intelligence on drug smuggling from a number of international bodies.

In light of the Belgian seizure this week, the Minister has been advised that the Revenue Commissioners are reviewing the risks attached to the operation of all 27 licensed aerodromes in the State, including Weston. The Government has been assured that the monitoring of licensed aerodromes in the State by the Revenue Commissioners is currently in line with international standards. The Customs and Excise service is continuously engaged in the analysis and evaluation of seizure trends, routes and smuggling risks and consequential resource deployment. All customs operations are risk focussed and staff are deployed to combat areas of greatest risk. The level of activity at licensed aerodromes is constantly monitored from a risk perspective. However, in light of the concerns raised by the seizure this week, the conditions of under which the Revenue Commissioners approve licensed aerodromes will be immediately reviewed. This review will include options for improving the level of control and prior reporting of arrivals from EU and non-EU countries. The Revenue Commissioners will also review the frequency of checking incoming flights to these aerodromes.

The Government's top policing priority for 2006 is to target organised crime, including drug trafficking, and to ensure that the necessary strategies and measures are in place to tackle the problem.