Liam Twomey (Fine Gael)

All Members will welcome any measure that will improve co-operation between customs services in the different jurisdictions of the European Union and reduce the quantities of illegal goods imported into Ireland. I refer, in particular, to reductions in the quantities of illegal drugs being imported by any number of organisations. On one level, I am surprised the Data Protection Commissioner has such a role to play in the system's operation. One would have expected that as this deals with levels of organised crime across the European Union, enormous confidentiality issues would arise as to who can have access to the system and that the information contained within the system would be kept confidential between the law enforcement agencies across the European Union. Considering that this is a Europe-wide organisation with a number of terminals accessible right across the European Union, the opportunity for an organised crime gang to gain access to the system is good, to say the least.

As for the intended aim of the proposed decision, we should be going further. Even though there have been a number of important drug seizures in Ireland, the actual cost of drugs on the street for those who use illegal drugs is still quite low. If the cost of drugs on the street is low, it means a ready supply is available and, therefore, this problem is not being dealt with adequately. Were the supply of illegal drugs on the market to be restricted, the cost would increase because that is how demand works.

There are also concerns about the free activity of Irish drug barons who live abroad and organise their businesses and affairs from other European countries. They appear to be able to do this without being concerned about how the law in either those jurisdictions or this one might affect them. A huge proportion of the activities of organised crime in Ireland is controlled by non-nationals who live in Ireland and about whom the Garda Síochána does not have the same wide knowledge as it might have were the organised crime paramilitary in nature, as was the case in recent years. In such cases the Garda had good inside knowledge of the organisations concerned.

The Criminal Assets Bureau is very restricted. If it operated at the level of provincial towns it might have a greater impact. The gardaí know everybody involved in illegal activities in every town. They know the individuals who drive around in expensive SUVs and other cars and have extensive property but who do not seem to have any income. If CAB was beefed up it might have a greater impact on organised crime which will does more long-term damage than petty crime because organised criminals attempt to bribe gardaí, customs and judicial officials. We should hit hard on this activity.

The PULSE system operated by the gardaí has been sporadically used and has not reached its full potential. There were many concerns about the system when it was introduced. It does not seem to operate in the fast and efficient way we would like. Perhaps we should discuss that issue too.

I welcome this initiative. We often put business first when we deal with the European Union. A long time ago we reduced the customs checks on our borders to facilitate business. We are now dealing with the effect of reduced customs on our borders on the flow of alcohol, cigarettes and illegal drugs. EU-wide commercial and socioeconomic decisions should go hand in hand.