Cecilia Keaveney (Donegal North East, Fianna Fail)
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Question 328: To ask the Minister for Finance his plans to expand the number of dogs that are available to Customs Officers, in view of the low level of such useful resources here compared to many other countries internationally; if he will make a statement on the matter in view of the fact that the success rates of detections are acknowledged elsewhere and that these dogs can be deemed as a deterrent. [34542/06]

Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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The Revenue Commissioners are responsible for the Customs Service and its detector dog programme.

I am informed by the Revenue Commissioners that the Customs Service deployed its first drug detection dog team in 1984 and since then has steadily increased this complement to its current level of ten. In addition to these drug detector dogs and in tandem with developments in proceeds of crime legislation a cash detector dog team was also deployed last year. These detector dogs teams are strategically located at all major entry points into the State and are used to screen all modes of transport, passengers and their baggage, freight, postal and express courier packages.

In recent times the Customs Service has moved towards the use of multi purpose passive (sit and stare) dogs which can be used to screen passengers as well as freight and vehicles in the most effective manner. The active dogs that were previously deployed could not be used to screen passengers. This decision is in keeping with best practice within the international Customs sphere.

While all dog teams are assigned to specific locations, they can be deployed to any area at short notice as the need arises. They also assist local Garda units and the Criminal Assets Bureau in searches on request.

It is planned to bring the full complement of customs detector dog teams to thirteen, which, given the size and population of the country and the nature of the drug trafficking threat, compares favourably with the Customs Services of other jurisdictions.

The deployment of these detector dogs teams, the acquisition of the Revenue Customs Cutter, and the commissioning of new mobile X-ray scanning technology last year are evidence of the Commissioners' commitment to support the Government's National Drugs Strategy.