John O'Mahony (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 269: To ask the Minister for Finance the number of visits by the customs dog unit to each of the regional airports and ports in the west and north-west region; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30732/09]

Brian Lenihan Jnr (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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I am advised by the Revenue Commissioners that Revenue has, for a number of years, employed a drug detector dog handler in Sligo who is engaged full time on drugs detection activities, principally at the regional airports and the ports. In line with best practice in Customs administrations worldwide, Customs enforcement activity is selective and targeted and is based on analysis and evaluation of national and international seizure trends, traffic frequency, routes and other risk indicators and can also be as a result of specific intelligence.

It is not the policy of the Revenue Commissioners to publish exact details of enforcement activities as this could prejudice future operations. However, during the period 1st January 2009 to 30th June 2009, over 250 flights into the regional airports in the west and north-west were targeted on a risk analysis basis.