Tony McLoughlin (Sligo-Leitrim, Fine Gael)
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I thank the Ceann Comhairle for selecting this matter, which seeks to highlight the need for Revenue to increase its presence at the ports and airports in the west, with the aim of tackling drug importation networks in this State.

This is an issue of national importance as drug smugglers and international drug gangs continue to wreak havoc in the State on a daily basis. It is an important issue for the people living in the west who are on the front line of this importation battle between the smugglers and Irish officials. It is very important for the Garda and Revenue officials in the north west. They have expressed to me their deep concerns with regard to the lack of drug surveillance operations at our ports and airports.

The Minister of State, Deputy Eoghan Murphy, will be aware that we got very lucky last month when a consignment of cocaine worth some €5 million washed ashore on a beach in County Clare. This consignment had become detached from a boat at sea and eventually washed ashore in Ireland. We do not know where the drugs were destined for and we do not know where they came from. All we know is that 75 kilos of cocaine washed ashore for the public to discover and that our customs officials with dedicated customs cutter boats were not aware of this consignment before it became detached. This particular incident has raised once more my deep concerns which I have raised with the Department of Finance and with Revenue on several occasions around the west coast of Ireland being used as a drug importation channel by drug cartels. Revenue and the Government are not on top of this worrying situation and I firmly believe that illegal and dangerous drugs are coming into Ireland illegally via the west coast. In a reply to the Taoiseach in October 2013, Liam Irwin said Revenue attaches the highest priority to combatting the smuggling of controlled drugs and that it is committed to playing an active role in working against this criminal activity and those responsible for it. While I accept that this sentiment is the true intent of Revenue in this regard and that lack of resources is the reason why Revenue may not be on top of the situation, I wish to highlight some major issues why we are not reaching the aims of this intent in the west.

With regard to sea access in the west, I am advised that the Revenue fleet of operational cutter boats is not sufficient to cover surveillance and interception operations for the entire west coast. It is clear to see that Revenue simply needs to prioritise more funding in order to purchase more boats and for more customs personnel to increase our operations in this area. I am further advised that the Killybegs deep water port in County Donegal has no Revenue drug detection personnel in operation. This is despite the fact that boats of any shape or size can arrive and leave this port at any time of the day. Perhaps the Minister of State will explain why this is the case. It seems odd that such an important port would have no drugs customs officers based there. With regard to airports in the west, and Knock Airport in particular, I am advised that there is now no dedicated drug detector dog based at Knock airport or the in the midlands west region since March 2016 when the previous dog died. Will the Minister of State provide details as to when this dog will be replaced and what is the overall cost involved?

I also want to highlight that there is no permanent Revenue drug detection staff at Ireland West Airport Knock. This is despite the fact that more than 800,000 passengers will use the airport in 2016.

Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Ceann Comhairle)
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I thank the Deputy.

Tony McLoughlin (Sligo-Leitrim, Fine Gael)
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I have further been advised that no data on the private aircraft which enter and leave Knock airport is being kept and that there is no customs checks on these flights. This is a scary reality given the incidents in the past involving private flights carrying drugs into Ireland. This is something which needs to be looked at going forward. The public is in danger from these drugs gangs and the effects of their products on society.

Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Ceann Comhairle)
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I invite the Minister of State to respond. He might get that dog back.

Eoghan Murphy (Dublin Bay South, Fine Gael)
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I thank the Ceann Comhairle, and I thank Deputy Tony McLoughlin for raising this important matter. The Deputy's commitment in this area is long-standing and well known. The deployment of Revenue staff is a matter for the Revenue Commissioners. I am advised by Revenue that they use a broad range of data, intelligence and analytical technologies to identify and evaluate risk. Insights and intelligence are increasingly important in directing Revenue’s attention to and response to risk including action to confront suspected non-compliance. Compliance and enforcement resources are deployed within regions and districts on a risk priority basis and are designed to maximise effective outcomes having regard to the risk being targeted. Revenue has significant numbers of its staff deployed countrywide engaged on activities that are dedicated to targeting and confronting non-compliance. These activities include anti-smuggling and anti-evasion, investigation and prosecution, audit, assurance checks, anti-avoidance, returns compliance and debt collection. More than 860 Revenue staff are currently serving in Revenue’s Border, midlands and west regions.

Revenue's intervention and control role at points of importation and exportation is carried out by officers engaged on enforcement duties and are responsible for the implementation of customs controls. Revenue has an enforcement presence, as required by reference to risk, at all key airports and ports and at other strategic locations throughout the State. As previously alluded to, it places particular emphasis on developing an intelligence based focus at both national and regional level, deploying resources to areas of highest risk. Enforcement strength at particular locations is augmented, as necessary, with additional personnel on a risk assessment basis, or when particular operations are taking place focused on illegal activity.

I am satisfied that compliance and smuggling risks are properly evaluated and addressed, and resources appropriately allocated by Revenue. I am also assured that Revenue keeps the matter of risk assessment and resource allocations under regular review. I am advised by Revenue that, as part of its risk focused approach to the discharge of its role in relation to illegal drugs importations, harbours and inlets along the coastline are monitored and evaluated on an ongoing basis from the point of view of the potential for smuggling. This work is supplemented by Revenue’s customs drugs watch programme, aimed at encouraging members of the public, coastal and local maritime communities etc. to notify Revenue in confidence of suspect or unusual movements at sea or around the coast through a confidential 24-7 drugs watch freephone facility. This is a highly valued and successful programme, as evidenced recently by the seizure of a large quantity of drugs near Liscannor, County Clare following a report through the drugs watch programme.

I will turn to Revenue’s role in protecting society from the importation of illicit drugs. I know that Revenue is active in targeting and combatting drug smuggling and in playing its role, in conjunction with the other relevant agencies, in combatting this criminal activity. As a stakeholder in the Government’s national drugs strategy, Revenue plays an important role in implementing the supply reduction pillar. Strategic and operation plans, which are managed on a national basis, are in place to ensure Revenue meets its commitments under the strategy. This ongoing commitment is bolstered by the deployment of the two Revenue customs cutters, two large-scale X-ray scanners, several mobile scanners and drugs detector dog teams. Revenue works closely with other agencies in the State, including An Garda Síochána and the Naval Service as part of the joint task force on drug interdiction. Revenue also works closely with the Health Products Regulatory Authority, in acting against the illegal drugs trade. Revenue also leverages its contacts within international law enforcement agencies to proactively profile drug trafficking networks. The relevant authorities in the State work closely with their counterparts in Northern Ireland to target organised crime groups that are involved in a range of criminal activities, including the illegal drugs trade. This work to tackle cross-jurisdictional organised crime is being supported and reinforced by the establishment, in the framework of A Fresh Start: The Stormont Agreement and Implementation Plan, of the joint agency task force, which includes Revenue.

Revenue is also actively involved in international fora, including the EU's Customs Cooperation Working Party, Europol and the World Customs Organization, in working together with other administrations, agencies and services to counter the trafficking of drugs and drugs precursors.

I am satisfied with the priority afforded by Revenue to tackling tax evasion and illegal activity such as drugs smuggling and with its risk focused approach to the deployment of resources. I am also satisfied that it is fully focused on leveraging its co-operation with other State and international agencies and organisations to identify and tackle risk.

The Minister supported the provision of additional resources to Revenue at its request in budgets 2015 to 2017, inclusive. This has facilitated the allocation of staff to tackling non-compliance in all its guises.

Tony McLoughlin (Sligo-Leitrim, Fine Gael)
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I thank the Minister of State for his reply, but I reiterate that I firmly believe customs officials in the Border and midlands region should have the relevant tools and resources to tackle drug smuggling. On this basis I call on the Department to increase the amount of funding available to Revenue to enable it to increase its personnel and capabilities to combat drug smuggling along the west coast. We need customs drugs officials based in Kellybegs and Ireland West Airport Knock as a matter of urgency and they need the equipment to be able to conduct their work sufficiently. We also need a new drugs dog at Ireland West Airport Knock and additional customs cutter boats operating along the west coast.

Does the Minister of State believes the State is doing enough to protect our coastline and airports from the illegal importation of drugs and other contraband with the system that is in place? I am concerned we are not winning the battle against the drug gangs. The Minister of State will have to agree with me when I state urgent thought should be given to Revenue establishing new units, similar to CAB and headed by customs, to target the vast quantities of drugs coming into the country, with a combined approach between the Garda, customs, naval officers and fishermen. Radio control towers would be a crucial first step to increase our efforts in this regard.

Eoghan Murphy (Dublin Bay South, Fine Gael)
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To reiterate, the Minister is happy to support any case Revenue might make for additional resources, including for dealing with the implication of Brexit over the coming years. The Deputy has provided specific information which he thinks will assist Revenue and I know Revenue will be happy to receive it, in particular the issues raised in so far as sea access to the west is concerned. He raised issues regarding Kellybegs deep water port and Ireland West Airport Knock. I will provide to Revenue the information provided to me by the Deputy and I ask that he does the same as well as with regard to the ideas raised in so far as how Revenue's abilities can be enhanced in this area. This information and these ideas would be welcomed by Revenue.