Jim O'Keeffe (Cork South West, Fine Gael)
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Question 195: To ask the Minister for Finance the number of ports and harbours on the coast of Ireland not constantly monitored by the customs authority with a view to preventing the illegal import of drugs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14047/07]

Jim O'Keeffe (Cork South West, Fine Gael)
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Question 196: To ask the Minister for Finance the work of the customs authority in tackling the importation of illegal drugs into Ireland; the measures that have been put in place in this regard at airports and ports, in particular small ports; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14048/07]

Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 195 and 196 together.

I am informed by the Revenue Commissioners that their Customs Service has primary responsibility for the prevention, detection, interception and seizure of controlled drugs intended to be smuggled or illegally imported into the State. The Deputy will be aware of the numerous small ports, harbours, piers, landing points, creeks, etc. that exist along Ireland's long and indented coastline. Revenue has deployed Customs Officers at the following ports throughout the country: Letterkenny, Killybegs, Sligo, Galway, Limerick, Foynes, Tralee, Bantry, Cork, Waterford, Bellview, Rosslare, Arklow, Wicklow, Dublin, Drogheda, Dundalk and Greenore. In respect of airports, there is a permanent Customs presence at Dublin, Cork and Shannon airports. Other smaller ports, airports and coastal areas are monitored by mobile Enforcement units on the basis of risk analysis.

Since the introduction of the Single Market in 1993, Customs Services, taking account of the Internal Market freedom of movement principles, have been required to adapt from a full gatekeeper mode of manning all internal frontiers of the EU to an approach based on intelligence led controls. In this regard Revenue has placed particular emphasis on developing its intelligence base through a strong risk analysis focus at national and regional level and deploying its resources at areas of highest risk. This risk analysis in turn is regularly benchmarked against good practice standards in other jurisdictions at European and global level.

The Customs Drugswatch and Memorandum of Understanding programmes, which are key supports to this work, seek to engage the maritime community and logistics sectors in assisting Customs by reporting suspicious activity on a confidential basis. The work of Customs Officers in detecting drugs is also supported by the deployment of the Revenue Customs Cutter Suirbhéir, a mobile X-ray scanner that can scan freight containers, and detector dog teams. In addition intelligence is exchanged and operations are conducted with other law enforcement agencies both nationally and internationally. The deployment of such resources and the fostering of such intelligence exchange and co-operation are wholly in keeping with Revenue's commitment to the Government's National Drugs Strategy.

Since 1996, Revenue's Customs Service has seized illegal drugs with a total street value of over €470m. Customs Officers have also seized significant amounts of cash that was linked with drug trafficking and other criminal activity.