Joanna Tuffy (Dublin Mid West, Labour)
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Question 689: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the steps that he will take in relation to the calls by a person (details supplied) to review the security at private airports and the use of ready to go mobile phones to assist criminal investigations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38106/09]

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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The Customs Service of the Revenue Commissioners has primary responsibility for the prevention, detection, interception and seizure of controlled drugs at their point of importation. The service has particular responsibility for implementing import controls at points of entry to the State. The Garda Síochána, the Customs Service and other relevant national and international agencies co-operate closely in taking action against smuggling and drug trafficking on an ongoing basis. General policy on the regulation of the operation of aerodromes is a matter for the Minister for Transport; such aerodromes are licensed by the IAA. There are provisions in place under the Air Navigation and Transports Acts, relating to the power of entry by members of the Garda Síochána which may be used for the purpose of monitoring aerodromes.

The registration of prepaid mobile 'phones would present a number of challenges, not least the costs of such a system given the volume of prepaid SIM cards in use and the wide range of retail outlets where they are available. It could raise issues of telecommunications regulation policy, which are of course a matter for the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources. It could also raise significant privacy and data protection issues. EU Justice Ministers have asked the European Commission, in the context of reporting under the 2006 Directive on Data Retention, to consider whether there are technical solutions that might help improve identification of the users of, for example, mobile 'phones with prepaid SIM cards. The matter is, of course, kept under constant review.