Luke Flanagan (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Independent)
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595. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality the cost of all of the resources, salaries, vehicles, fuel, ancillary costs of An Garda Síochána used specifically and exclusively in the effort to prevent, counter and fight the importation and sale of illegal cigarettes for the year 2012; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1687/14]

Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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I refer the Deputy to my reply to his Parliamentary Question No. 169 (ref: 54483/13) of Wednesday, 18th December, 2013 which was practically identical to the current Question.

In that reply I advised the Deputy that law enforcement in relation to the smuggling of tobacco products and the sale of illicit or counterfeit tobacco products and the sale of illicit or counterfeit tobacco products within the State is primarily a matter for the Revenue Commissioners. Penalties for these offences are set out in the Finance Acts and are a matter for the Minister for Finance.

In targeting the illicit tobacco trade there is close cooperation between the Customs Service of the Revenue Commissioners and An Garda Síochána. Searches are regularly undertaken by An Garda as part of intelligence-led operations led by Revenue. An Garda Síochána also continues, on a district and divisional level, to target those involved in the sale and distribution of illegal products, at markets and via door-to-door sales.

In addition to national actions there is very considerable cross border co-operation in place among the relevant law enforcement agencies to tackle this illegal trade. In that regard, the Criminal Assets Bureau continues to actively participate in the Cross Border Tobacco Enforcement Group which was established in May 2010. This group also includes representatives from the Revenue Commissioners, the Police Service of Northern Ireland, Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs and the National Crime Agency.

As I have previously informed the Deputy, I understand from the Garda authorities that it is not possible to isolate the costs incurred by the Force in combating illegal cigarettes and that the extraction of this information would require a disproportionate amount of Garda resources.