Denis O'Donovan (Fianna Fail)

I welcome the Minister. I am glad we are having a debate on this important issue. Setting up the CAB is one of the success stories of the country from the point of view of dealing with organised crime. I accept Senator Regan's comment that the CAB legislation was introduced and passed by the rainbow coalition led by Fine Gael when former Deputy Nora Owen was Minister for Justice. I remind the House that the catalyst for such action was my former colleague, the Ceann Comhairle, Deputy John O'Donoghue. He introduced a Private Members' Bill at that stage and the Government acted swiftly on it. With some modifications it was passed into law. Some credit must be given to Deputy O'Donoghue for his perseverance on this issue. Nevertheless, in the 12 years of existence, CAB has proved a wonderful success.

The Minister referred to an extra €1.5 million for CAB this year. In the 12 years of its existence, we have obviously got value for money. With regard to the budget of CAB, more than €300 million has been gathered in by CAB though asset seizures, Revenue settlements and social welfare investigations. Is there a net gain to the State, apart from the socio-economic gain of communities that are being protected from warlords and criminals who deal in drugs?

Can the Minister avert to the parameters and boundaries of CAB? By and large, it deals with drug dealers but I am aware of CAB investigations into other activities. One close to my heart is the investigation of the fishing industry, about which I will say no more because it is sub judice. I wonder if that is ultra vires, although it is probably not because CAB has significant powers under the Act that established it.

I refer to the Minister's point about the magnificent work done by a multiplicity of agencies in the major drug seizure in my home port of Castletownbere over a week ago, which I raised on the Order of Business yesterday. I record congratulations to the Garda Síochána, the customs services, the Serious Organised Crime Agency in the UK and the Maritime Analysis and Operation Centre — Narcotics in Lisbon. This was the work of international co-operation, which is necessary. Senator Regan referred to the success of CAB and its limitations. CAB can do much in the country but its international success is limited by the co-operation of agencies such as Europol and the agencies to which I referred. This massive haul of drugs was well anticipated by surveillance. I am delighted to see the drugs confiscated and certain people in custody.

Some 18 months ago, the drugs haul in Dunlough Bay was more by accident than design. Had the culprits put petrol rather than diesel in the engine and picked a less difficult night at sea, they would probably have got ashore and got away. I grew up and lived in the Sheep's Head Peninsula and for the past 20 years consignments of drugs have been coming in, although not in the same bulk as we see now. I met an old farmer who lived close to an old pier, who told me about all sorts of activities, such as vans coming up and down and a boat coming in and leaving at the dawn of day. The boat was not bringing in fish, cockles or mussels.

I refer to the audacity of international criminals in moving drugs. They saw as a soft target the south-west coast of Ireland, which has some of the busiest shipping lanes in the world, unless the Chinese have surpassed it. CNN and Sky International coverage of the Dunlough Bay incident — those involved are now behind bars — and the current incident will send a message to these people, whether in Colombia or elsewhere in South America, that Ireland, with the assistance of agencies such as CAB, the vigilance and modernisation of the Garda Síochána and our Customs Service, technical advances and the co-operation of European allies, is no longer a soft target. I sincerely welcome that. I would not sit back and think this is the end of it; it certainly is not. I am certain this is not the end of the road in this regard.

The Minister made an important point when he said CAB was not set up just for the sake of collecting money. It is not a prima facie revenue collecting agency. We are delighted it brings in revenue because by doing that it confiscates assets or moneys, freezes bank accounts or collects revenues from people who are low life criminals who have no interest in the society in which we live or its children.

CAB has done tremendous work since its establishment 12 years' ago in saving lives and keeping drugs off our streets. I accept what Senator Regan said about everything not being rosy in the garden. The Minister was correct when he said that up to 1996-97 there was a sense of impotency about what could be done to tackle the drugs problem. Senator Regan made the point that there are plenty of drugs available on our streets. The situation in the past would be like comparing the volume of traffic on our roads in 1950 with the volume today. Matters have evolved. Unfortunately drugs have become more available and the fight against them is ongoing.

It would be remiss of me not to mention the tragedy that has occurred in Limerick where an innocent, decent, family orientated and sports friendly man was gunned down in cold blood having been mistaken for someone else. I hope that agencies such as CAB can clamp down on those responsible for such crime, whether by stopping the payment of social welfare benefits or other means. Like the Veronica Guerin incident, the disastrous tragedy that occurred in Limerick at the weekend may act as a catalyst to enable us to take another leap forward in the fight against drugs in the next ten to 15 years. The unfortunate murder of Veronica Guerin was the catalyst for the change that occurred at that time. There is public outrage, annoyance and anger not only in Limerick but in Dublin, west Cork, Donegal and elsewhere at what happened in Limerick. I hope Shane Geoghegan's life has not been not lost in vain and that it will be a step to propel us forward to be more vigilant and to co-operate with the Garda, the drugs squad and CAB in trying to stymie the influx of drugs in our society.