Michelle Mulherin (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

In the recently aired RTE two-part documentary "Rural Addiction", we saw the devastation that drugs are bringing to rural Ireland. It is not just an urban problem. Will the Leader bring the Minister for Finance, Deputy Michael Noonan to the Chamber? There is much focus on the Garda Síochána's fight against drugs and drug barons. However, the problem is that the drugs are getting into the country in the first place. In County Clare, drugs were found by accident. I am very concerned about the number of customs staff. They are the front line in stopping drugs coming into the country. In Ireland West Airport Knock there used to be a drugs sniffer dog, but there is no sniffer dog now. Earlier in the year, I raised this at a joint policing committee in County Mayo and nothing has been done. The customs staff at the airport, who are few in number, also have to man the coastline for drugs and deal with VRT, petrol stretching and diesel laundering. There is no sniffer dog in the whole Border, midlands and west region for the detection of drugs. They should be the first line of defence at airports.

The drug barons are very creative and innovative and go to the weakest point. That I am raising it in the House does not mean they do not know it is the weakest point. We need proper resources to be put into Customs and Excise. I have raised it at a more local forum in County Mayo and previously, when I was in a position to, by way of parliamentary questions. Nothing has been done. The front line is not with gardaí but customs officers and they need to be properly resourced. I would like the Minister for Finance, Deputy Noonan, to be invited to the House to discuss how Customs and Excise is waging its front-line war on drug barons and stopping drugs being brought into rural Ireland, and all the fallout that goes with it.