Tony McLoughlin (Sligo-Leitrim, Fine Gael)
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176. To ask the Minister for Finance if he is satisfied with the number of staff within the Customs and Excise section of the Revenue Commissioners that are detailed to investigate illegal narcotics and illegal drug importation in counties Sligo, Leitrim, Cavan and Donegal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22219/16]

Michael Noonan (Limerick City, Fine Gael)
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I am advised by Revenue that it currently has approximately 2,000 staff countrywide engaged on activities that are dedicated to targeting and confronting non-compliance. These activities include anti-smuggling and anti-evasion, investigation and prosecution, audit, assurance checks, anti-avoidance, returns compliance and debt collection. There are currently 860 Revenue staff serving in the Border, Midlands, West Region, of which approximately 130 are engaged on these activities in the North West.

I am advised by Revenue that, as part of its risk focused approach to the discharge of its role in relation to illegal drugs importations, harbours and inlets along the coastline are monitored and evaluated on an ongoing basis from the point of view of the potential for smuggling. This work is supplemented by Revenue's Customs Drug Watch Programme, aimed at encouraging members of the public, coastal and local maritime communities etc. to notify Revenue in confidence of suspect or unusual movements at sea or around the coast through a confidential 24/7 Drugs Watch free phone facility.

I am aware that Revenue is active in targeting and combatting drugs smuggling and is fully committed to playing its role, in conjunction with other relevant agencies, in combatting this criminal activity and those responsible for it. I am advised by Revenue that it has an enforcement presence at all key airports and ports and at other strategic locations and that it places particular emphasis on developing an intelligence-based focus at both national and regional level, deploying resources to areas of highest risk. Enforcement strength at particular locations is regularly augmented with additional personnel on a risk-assessment basis, or when particular operations are taking place against illegal activity.

I am satisfied with the risk-focused approach Revenue adopts.