Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Social Democrats)
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216. To ask the Minister for Finance the amount of items (details supplied) that have been seized by customs officials in the past five years to date in 2021; the way in which they dispose of such materials; and the number of full-time, part-time and contractor Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine staff that are attached to the customs section of the Revenue Commissioners. [6935/21]

Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael)
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I am advised by Revenue that regulation of the importation of animal medication is a matter for the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine and as a result, Revenue has not seized any of the items specified in the last five years. I am further advised that Revenue officials refer all declarations of animal medication to officers from the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine for examination, control, investigation and subsequent seizure, as required.

While staff from the Department of Agriculture, Food and Marine work closely with Revenue Customs Officers based at frontier stations, they are independent of Revenue and no such staff are attached to Revenue’s operations at these stations.