Maureen O'Sullivan (Dublin Central, Independent)
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43. To ask the Minister for Health the extent of recent seizures of illegal drugs; and if he will ensure that the Irish Medicines Board acts urgently to address this matter. [27695/15]

Kathleen Lynch (Cork North Central, Labour)
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The Health Products Regulatory Authority, formerly the Irish Medicines Board, is the competent authority responsible for the regulation of human medicines in Ireland.

The HPRA cooperates with the Revenue’s Customs Service, An Garda Síochána and other international regulatory and law enforcement agencies. They actively monitor, on an ongoing basis, the illegal supply of prescription, illicit and falsified medicines to Ireland. The HPRA uses a range of enforcement powers to tackle this activity, including seizing product and taking prosecutions.

The HPRA also assists An Garda Síochána in its investigations of, and prosecutions for, the illegal supply of prescription medication, when An Garda Síochána discovers such criminal activity.

The recent Operation Pangea VIII, was a worldwide, enforcement agency action in targeting the supply of falsified and illegal medicines. The operation in Ireland led to the seizure of one hundred and four thousand units of sedative-type medication.

The HPRA, An Garda Síochána and Customs took part in this operation and their work will continue in order to protect the health and wellbeing of the public from these potent and potentially harmful drugs.