Brendan Smith calls for stronger cross-border action on drugs
Brendan Smith warned about the growing prevalence of drugs across urban and rural communities and called for intensified cross-border action to cut supply chains and seize criminal proceeds. He pressed the minister on whether the Joint Agency Task Force has sufficient resources and whether legislation is needed to establish a statutory cross-border crime agency.
Prevalence and harm
Brendan Smith described drugs as causing "havoc and devastation" for individuals, families and communities across every part of the island, affecting all age cohorts. He urged that supply chains be smashed and that the proceeds of crime be seized to protect communities and vulnerable people.
Cross-border cooperation and the Joint Agency Task Force
He highlighted ongoing cooperation between Angarda Sheecona and the PSNI through the Joint Agency Task Force (JATF), led by senior officers from both police services alongside Revenue and other partner agencies. He noted briefings at recent meetings in late May and June that emphasised the practical value of a continuing high level of co-operation and operational activity between agencies.
Recent operations and seizures
Brendan Smith cited recent operational outcomes, including arrests and the seizure of significant quantities of controlled substances and cash reported on 10 June. He also referenced Operation Tara, launched on 1 July, as an enhanced national anti-drugs operation focused on street-level dealing in towns and villages, driven by intelligence and crime trends.
Proposal for a statutory cross-border crime agency
He recalled proposing legislation in the Dáil some years ago to establish a statutory cross-border crime agency composed of officials from multiple statutory bodies to tackle illicit trade. While that proposal previously covered drugs, alcohol and tobacco and addressed illicit fuel, he argued the present priority must be the drugs issue.
Questions on resourcing and legislation
Brendan Smith asked whether the JATF has sufficient resources and whether legislation is needed to underpin its work, urging consideration of his previous statutory agency proposal to strengthen cross-border responses to organised crime and trafficking.
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As we know, the prevalence of drugs in our society is causing havoc and devastation for individuals, families and communities. Unfortunately, this destruction is happening in every community, urban and rural, and has not confined to any particular age cohort. Minister, I am aware that drugs are travelling north-south and south-north, and that supply chain needs to be smashed. We need to cut off the supply and deal with the people who are wreaking havoc on so many people. communities and individuals, and ensure that their ill-gotten gains are seized. Tackling serious crime, including drug trafficking and the supply of illicit drugs, are key priorities for the Government. As the Deputy is aware, there is a strong, ongoing cooperation between Angarda Sheecona and the Police Service of Northern Ireland. The cross-border joint agency task force was established under the 2015 Fresh Start Agreement to bring a concerted and enhanced effort to tackle cross-jurisdictional organised crime. The task force is led by senior officers from Angarda Sheecona, Revenue, the PSNI and Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs. The Criminal Assets Bureau and the National Crime Agency are also involved, as needed, in operational activities. Tackling drug-related crime by disrupting criminal groups by disrupting criminal groups and targeting their money is among the top priorities for the JATF. At a recent virtual meeting with my Northern Ireland counterpart, Justice Minister Naomi Long on the 26th of May, we were briefed by officers from Angarda Sheecona and the PSNI who updated us on the work of the Task Force Task Force. They highlighted the practical value in the continuing high level of co-operation in the continuing high level of co-operation, and the continuing high level of co-operation, and the co-operation and operational activity. Tackling drug-related crime by disrupting criminal groups and targeting their money is among the top priorities for the JATF. At a recent virtual meeting with my Northern Ireland counterpart, Justice Minister Naomi Long on the 27th of May, we are now on the 21st of June, and the two police services announced a number of police officers from Angarda Sheecona and the PSNI who updated us on the work of the Task Force. They highlighted the practical value in the continuing high level of co-operation and operational activity between the agencies in tackling drug crime, as well as rural crime, financial crime, trafficking in human beings, including children, excise fraud and organised immigration crime. I can further inform the Deputy that on the 10th of June, the two police services announced a number of arrests and the seizure of significant quantities of controlled substances and cash arising from the work of the Joint Action Force. It is also noteworthy that last week, on the 1st of July, Angarda Sheecona initiated Operation Tara, an enhanced national anti-drugs operation with a strong focus on tackling street-level dealings in cities, towns and villages across the country, based on intelligence and the latest crime trends. Thank you, Mr. Deputy. Deputy. Deputy. Deputy. Deputy. Deputy. Deputy. Deputy. Deputy. Deputy. Deputy. Deputy. Deputy. Deputy. Deputy. Deputy. established I proposed legislation at the Dáil which had gone to committee level some years ago in regard to the establishment of cross-bother crime agency on a statutory basis consisting of officials from the different statutory agencies that you mentioned. At that time the particular focus would have been on illicit trade in drugs, drink and tobacco products and at that time we were well aware of the scourge of illicit fuel products being brought. Now the focus would need to be on the drugs issue. Minister, are you confident that that task force has enough resources? Does it need any legislation to underpin its work? Could consideration be given to the proposal that I put forward that we have a cross-border crime agency established on a statutory basis to deal with these cross-border crimes that are causing havoc in every community throughout our island? Minister of Justice. Minister of Justice. A key aspect of cooperation is the Joint Agency Task Force, as I described. It is led by senior officers from the PSNI and Garda Siakana and other key partner agencies. Among the top priorities for the task force, as I said, is drug-related crime. There is great cross-border cooperation, as you know, Deputy, and indeed an example of this between the two jurisdictions was an annual event which is called the Cross-Border Seminar on Organised Crime. It is organised by the two justice departments and the two police services which focus on cooperation and best practice in countering organised crime that seeks to exploit the border. I am assured by the Garda authorities that the long-established and close working relationship with the PSNI remains central in and Garda Siakana's efforts to provide the effective policing service to the border area and its communities. Deputy Smith. Deputy Smith. Deputy Smith. Deputy Smith. Deputy Smith. Deputy Smith. Deputy Smith. Deputy Smith. Deputy Smith. Deputy Smith. Deputy Smith. Deputy Smith. Excuse me. Daddy Squire, I understand from some media reports that drugs are travelling from Dublin to East Belfast and drugs coming from the north to our jurisdiction. And drug trafficking is not what it was ten years ago. There have been continually the development of new networks of drug trafficking causing havoc and destruction and destroying the lives of good young people and people of all age groups. And, of course, we have some of the biggest crime gangs in Europe in our country. Minister, there needs to be a huge concerted and intensification of efforts to deal with these issues. At the last Joint Police and Committee meeting we had in Cavan, the Guard of Sheecona gave a very good report in regard to the detection and the seizure of drugs, and it was very welcome, but it just shows the growing prevalence of these illicit products in our society. Minister, I will appeal to you that when the estimates process begins in the autumn, I assume, that consideration will be given to giving greater resources to the different Guard of Drug Units right throughout our country, and in particular I am interested in the Guard of the Division of Drug Unit in Cavan, and getting additional resources to deal with the increasing problems, unfortunately, and I compliment the members of the Guard of Sheecona and also the PSNI on their ongoing work. Minister, I am sure by the Guard of the Commission that the distribution of resources among the various Guard of the Division is kept under constant review in light of emerging crime trends and operational needs. As of the end of May this year there were 389 Guard of the members and 58 Guard of the staff assigned to the Cavan Monaghan Division. These are increases of 22% and 53% respectively compared to the end of 2015, when there were 318 Guard of the members and 38 staff assigned to the Division. Indeed, deputies, you and I both know we have very long borders with Northern Ireland, and you are absolutely right when you say that paramilitary groups are involved in this type of activity, and there have been successes, and we will continue to obviously provide the resources to An Garda Sheecona, but at the end of the day the Commissioner makes the decision on an operational basis how these resources are distributed.
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