Joanna Tuffy (Dublin Mid West, Labour)
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Question 59: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the quantity and values of seizures of heroin, cocaine, cannabis and other drugs during 2007, 2008, 2009 and to date in 2010; the proportion of the overall flow of drugs into the country that is believed to be represented by these seizures; the new initiatives he is planning to control the flow of illegal drugs into this country; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13013/10]

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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I am circulating with my reply a tabular statement giving the latest available information in relation to drug seizures for 2007, 2008 and 2009. Seizure data in respect of 2010 is not available as yet from An Garda Síochána. Due to the covert nature of the activity, it is not possible to give a reliable estimate of the proportion of drugs coming into the country that these figures represent. Through ongoing specific initiatives and intelligence-led operations An Garda Síochána continues to seize substantial quantities of illegal drugs destined for the streets in this jurisdiction and disrupting those criminals involved in the importation, distribution, sale and supply of illegal drugs in Ireland.

Drugs and organised crime are being prioritised by An Garda Síochána as a core focus for 2010, through the Commissioner's Policing Plan, 2010, which reflects Government strategies contained in the National Drug Strategy. Drugs units are in place in every Garda division and work in partnership with the Garda National Drugs Unit in tackling and targeting drug-related crime. Divisional and District Policing Plans also reflect the focus of the national Policing Plan in terms of drugs enforcement. As part of a co-ordinated approach, An Garda Síochána makes full use of the international Garda Liaison Network, District and Divisional Drug Units, the Garda National Drugs Unit, the Organised Crime Unit and the Criminal Assets Bureau, as well as other specialist units and uniformed and plain-clothes personnel nationwide, in targeting drug supply reduction.

An Garda Síochána also has in place a number of strategic partnerships at national and international level to address drug trafficking. Recent and ongoing initiatives include:

The operation of the Organised Crime Unit on a permanent capacity,

Ongoing Irish involvement in the work of the Maritime Analysis and Operations Centre in Lisbon,

The ongoing development and support by CAB of the Divisional Asset Profiler's Programme.

Furthermore, as the Deputy will know, I have in recent times introduced an extensive suite of criminal justice legislation targeted at those engaged in serious crime (including drug trafficking) including the Criminal Justice (Amendment) Act, the Criminal Justice (Surveillance) Act and the Criminal Justice (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act.

However, it is clear that we cannot tackle the problem of drug misuse through law enforcement measures alone. As set out in the Government's new interim National Drugs Strategy for the period 2009 to 2016, it is vital to address the problem in a co-ordinated way across the pillars of supply reduction, prevention, treatment, rehabilitation and research. In this context, I can assure the House that my Department, and all the agencies under its aegis, remain fully committed to this approach and to the implementation of the Strategy.

The Garda authorities advise that the following tables show the quantities of drugs seized in 2007, 2008 and 2009 on the basis of cases reported to the Forensic Science Laboratory (valid as at 29 January 2010). Statistics provided for 2009 are operational, provisional and liable to change.

2009

2008*

2007