Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Social Democrats)
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120. To ask the Minister for Finance if dog handlers attached to the Revenue Commissioners, customs and or detection sections can avail of the installation of kennels at their private residence; and the arrangements in place at present for the housing of dogs when they are not on duty with their handlers. [37618/24]

Jack Chambers (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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I am advised by Revenue that it currently operates 27 detector dog teams, including one team working on behalf of the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine.

Individual kennels are installed in Revenue’s dog handlers’ private residence where the detector dogs reside when off-duty. When dog handlers are on periods of extended leave and during the period when new dog handlers are awaiting the installation of a kennel, detector dogs are housed in boarding kennels when off-duty.

I am advised by Revenue that its detector dog teams, although an integral element of Revenue’s compliance framework, are just one component of a suite of detection equipment and technologies deployed to target fraud, illicit trade, smuggling and organised crime. Scan technology is deployed at all points of entry that work in tandem with the dog detector teams. Operational requirements regarding the deployment and use of detection technology and resources, including dog detector teams, are kept under regular review having regard to ongoing risk assessment of smuggling and criminal activities and evolving operational needs.