Diarmuid Wilson (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I support Senator Jim D'Arcy's call for the Minister to come to the House to discuss a serious problem, particularly in the Border counties of Louth, Cavan, Monaghan and Donegal. Every year hundreds of millions of euro is being lost to Revenue as a result of this activity which is carried out by gangsters. Unfortunately, these gangsters are, by and large, getting away with intimidating people. People living in the Border counties and the councils that represent them must pick up the tab for dealing with the sludge that is abandoned throughout the area. I call on the Minister to come before the House to discuss this issue. More resources must be allocated to the Customs service to deal with this problem which is spreading from the Border counties to the rest of the State. The issue must be addressed as a matter of urgency.

I join colleagues in congratulating the members of An Garda Síochána, the Naval Service, the Customs service and the international police forces who were involved in yesterday's successful seizure of a ship transporting drugs. I welcome this development as it has ensured drugs valued at €80 million will not reach our streets and the poor unfortunate people who use them. I encourage the Government to provide adequate funding to enable the policing, naval and customs services to continue to engage in these operations.

I ask the Leader to invite the new Minister for Education and Skills, Deputy Jan O'Sullivan, to the House to discuss how the transition from the vocational educational committees to education and training boards is progressing. I am aware that some difficulties have arisen, particularly in the area of training because some education and training boards do not have a training centre located in their jurisdiction.