Keira Keogh (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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281. To ask the Minister for Finance the number of private aircraft searched by customs for drugs from 2020 to 2024 and to date in 2025; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47792/25]

Keira Keogh (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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282. To ask the Minister for Finance the number of boats/ships searched for drugs at harbours on the coastline of Galway, Mayo, Sligo and Donegal, by county in 2020 to 2024 and to date in 2025; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47793/25]

Keira Keogh (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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283. To ask the Minister for Finance the number of full-time and part-time staff employed solely on customs and excise duties at ports and airports in counties Galway, Mayo, Sligo and Donegal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47794/25]

Keira Keogh (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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284. To ask the Minister for Finance the number of full-time customs and excise staff employed solely in the detection of drugs for 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47795/25]

Keira Keogh (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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285. To ask the Minister for Finance the number of unscheduled flights into Ireland West Airport, Knock and Donegal Airport in the past five years in respect of which customs and excise were not notified; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47796/25]

Keira Keogh (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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286. To ask the Minister for Finance the protocol and requirements that exist for small airports for customs and excise inspections upon the landing of unscheduled flights at these airports; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47797/25]

Keira Keogh (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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287. To ask the Minister for Finance the number of coastal patrols carried out by the cutter boats between 1 January 2020 to the 31 December 2024 between and including counties Clare and Donegal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47798/25]

Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 281, 282, 283, 284, 285, 286 and 287 together.

I am advised that Revenue, through its Investigation, Prosecution and Frontier Management Division (IPFMD), is responsible for implementing customs controls on traffic entering the EU through Irish ports and airports. This includes customs clearance of goods, the collection of customs duty and associated VAT. It also includes the detection, interception and seizure of prohibited and restricted products, including controlled drugs, at points of entry into the State and in our territorial waters and adjacent seas. IPFMD maintains an enforcement presence at strategic locations and places particular emphasis on developing an intelligence-based focus at both national and regional level, deploying resources to areas of highest risk.

Revenue’s approach involves the use of advanced analytics and a multiplicity of detection technologies, ensuring the optimum deployment of resources on a risk-focused basis. Operational requirements and arrangements regarding the deployment and use of detection technology and resources, including x-ray scanners and detector dog teams, are kept under regular review by Revenue having regard to ongoing risk assessment of smuggling and criminal activities.

I am aware that as part of its risk-focused approach, Revenue monitors and evaluates ports, harbours and inlets along the coastline on an ongoing basis to identify the potential risk for drug smuggling. Revenue’s analytical capability is supplemented by its Customs Drug Watch Programme which encourages members of the public, along with coastal and local maritime communities to notify Revenue of suspect or unusual activity at sea or around the coastline by way of a confidential 24/7 helpline (1800 295 295). In addition to this I am also aware that Revenue is an active participant in Coast Watch, a multi-agency Garda led initiative, aimed at the prevention and detection of illegal drug importations, promoting vigilance from coastal communities and the wide range of organisations and agencies that operate at sea and along our Coast and harbours.

Revenue also deploys two Revenue Customs cutters to patrol the coastline, undertake vessel controls and support maritime surveillance and intelligence gathering duties in relation to illicit smuggling. Following a procurement process, a contract for the delivery of a new Revenue Customs cutter was signed with AuxNaval in August 2023. The new vessel, RCC Cosaint, was delivered ahead of schedule in August 2025 and is currently engaged in training and familiarisation exercises in transition to active patrol duties. The RCC Cosaint will replace the RCC Suirbhéir which has been in service since 2004. These vessels work closely with teams of land-based enforcement officers involved in anti-smuggling duties along the coastline.

Given the global nature of the illicit smuggling trade, international law enforcement cooperation remains a key element in Revenue’s overall response. Revenue has strong and strategic partnerships in place at international level and works very closely with relevant international bodies including Europol, OLAF (the EU’s anti-fraud agency), the Maritime Analysis Operations Centre for Narcotics (MAOC-N) and the World Customs Organisation to target illicit smuggling. Revenue liaison officers are stationed in both Europol and MAOC-N, ensuring Revenue is at the forefront in the area of anti-smuggling enforcement at an international level. These officers work closely with international colleagues in identifying the transnational risks associated with illicit smuggling into the State.

Furthermore, Revenue is an active participant, along with its national and EU partners, in initiatives under the umbrella of the EU Roadmap to Tackle Drugs and Organised Crime. These initiatives, including the European Ports Alliance and the European Union Customs Alliance for Borders, provide for EU-wide collaboration and information sharing on best practices to increase security and resilience in tackling the threat posed by drug trafficking, illicit smuggling and organised crime.

At a national level, the Joint Task Force, which is an interagency collaboration consisting of Revenue, the Garda National Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau and the Naval Service, was put in place specifically to target illicit smuggling by sea into Ireland and uses the full capability and resources of each agency as required at an operational level. The Joint Task Force operates successfully under agreed protocols when activated for a specific targeted operation.

Regarding the number of coastal patrols carried out by Revenue’s cutters between counties Clare and Donegal over the last five years, I am informed that for operational reasons, Revenue does not publish details of such patrols. It is important to note that Revenue’s maritime crews are multi-functional and may operate at sea or on other maritime frontier-related activities, primarily at ports and harbours, depending on operational needs at a given time. This may include sea patrols, rigid inflatable boat (RIB)-based operations along the shoreline, search operations, Joint Task Force activities as well as overseas deployments in support of international operations.

In relation to the protocols in place at aerodromes/small airports for customs inspections, Revenue has advised that such inspections are risk-based, targeted and predominantly unannounced. Inspections can also be as a result of specific intelligence. Attendance at such airports is kept under regular review by Revenue having regard to ongoing risk assessment of smuggling trends.

Donegal Airport and International West Airport Knock (IWAK) accommodate flights to and from other EU countries and the UK. The flights carry passengers and baggage but do not in the normal course carry cargo. The approvals for these airports generally have extra conditions about advance reporting of flight activity. Revenue is not aware of any unscheduled flights at Donegal Airport and International West Airport Knock where a notification from the operator was not issued.

In relation to the number of individual customs inspections conducted on incoming private aircraft and vessels at harbours, I am informed that this data is not recorded.

I am informed that the table below provides a breakdown of the number of enforcement and trade facilitation allowanced staff working in each of Revenue’s Frontier Management Branches with responsibility for ports and airports, working on a 24/7 basis where relevant, for the years 2020 to end March 2025.

* Includes staff with responsibility for ports and airports in counties Galway, Mayo, Sligo and Donegal.

I am pleased to acknowledge that Revenue has achieved considerable success in tackling the smuggling of illicit drugs. The table below outlines the number, quantity and value of drug seized by Revenue from 2021 to the end of August 2025:

The high quantity of drugs seized is attributable to its multi-faceted drugs strategy, continued cooperation and intelligence sharing with other national and international law enforcement agencies and its advanced profiling methods and strategic use of appropriate detection technology and assets.

I am assured that combatting the smuggling of controlled drugs into and out of this jurisdiction is, and will continue to be, a priority for Revenue. Ongoing cooperation and collaboration with national and international law enforcement agencies will continue to play an important role in this regard. I commend Revenue and all the relevant State agencies for their work in this important area.