Tony McLoughlin (Sligo-North Leitrim, Fine Gael)
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176. To ask the Minister for Finance the number of unfilled vacancies at each grade structure in the office of Customs and Excise in counties Cavan, Donegal, Leitrim and Sligo; if the existing resources available are adequate to combat the marked increase in the availability of narcotics in these counties; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4155/16]

Michael Noonan (Limerick City, Fine Gael)
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The Revenue Commissioners have advised me that the total staffing complement for their Borders, Midland and West (BMW) Region, which includes counties Cavan, Donegal, Leitrim and Sligo, in 2016 is 820 Whole-Time Equivalent (WTE).  The total current serving WTE in the BMW Region is 825.89.  There are currently no unfilled vacancies in the BMW Region in the context of the overall grade allocation for the Region in 2016.

The table below provides details of the serving staff in the BMW Region by grade.

In relation to the resources allocated to customs and excise, I am informed by the Revenue Commissioners that they are a fully integrated tax and customs administration and that it is not possible to disaggregate resources deployed exclusively at any given time on customs and excise.

The Deputy will be aware from my replies to his previous Questions in this matter that Revenue has an enforcement presence at all key airports and ports and at other strategic locations throughout the country, including the BMW Region. Revenue place particular emphasis on developing an intelligence-based focus at both national and regional level, deploying resources to areas of highest risk. Enforcement strength is augmented with additional personnel on a risk-assessment basis, or when particular operations are taking place against illegal activity.