'Overall responsibility' for prevention of drug trafficking rests with Revenue and gardaí, not Defence Forces
Protection Rescue Just Department Interdiction From Which Said Security To Picture: Maritime And Of Service, The Search Fishery Of The Many Cummins The Drug And Range One Of Was Naval Defence Defence Duties Operations Larry And
The Department of Defence has said “overall responsibility” for the prevention of drug trafficking rests primarily with the Revenue Customs Services and An Garda Síochána, rather than the Defence Forces.
In a statement, the department said drug interdiction was just one of the many duties of the Naval Service, which range from fishery protection and search and rescue to maritime defence and security operations.
The statement was provided to the in relation to questions about the state of the Naval Service following widespread concerns about its ability to provide a visible presence to deter maritime drug trafficking.
These concerns were raised on the back of last Thursday's attempted drug importation off the West Cork coast involving an international drug gang.
Although it is understood gardaí did not request an asset from the Irish Naval Service to assist, the only on-patrol vessel was in Dún Laoghaire, south Dublin, taking part in official public engagement duties as part of St Patrick’s Day celebrations.
It is understood Ireland has two operational vessels, with one on-patrol and one “off patrol”, while a third is on standby.
Ireland had four vessels on patrol only a few years ago, various sources have said.
In a statement, the Department of Defence said: “The Naval Service is tasked with several roles, including a fishery protection service, search and rescue, maritime defence and security operations, and drug interdiction.
“However, overall responsibility for the prevention of drug trafficking rests primarily with the Customs Service of the Revenue Commissioners, while responsibility for the prevention of crime rests primarily with An Garda Síochána.”
It said the Revenue Maritime Unit, also based in Cork, has a national remit to patrol and monitor internal waters, territorial seas and adjacent waters.
“This is aimed at the prevention, detection, interception and seizure of illegal imports and exports of prohibited and restricted goods, including drugs,” it said.
The statement said the Defence Forces worked closely with An Garda Síochána and Revenue in relation to suspected drug trafficking: “The Joint Task Force on Drug Interdiction was established to improve law enforcement in relation to drugs and consists of An Garda Síochána, the Revenue Customs Service and the Naval Service, assisted by the Air Corps and the army as required and upon request.”
This taskforce was stood up to take part in a daring military operation to board the MV Matthew off the Cork coast last September, in which the elite Army Ranger Wing stormed the container vessel and seized control.
A total of 2.23 tonnes of cocaine was seized in that operation — by far the biggest haul of cocaine ever in Ireland.
The statement said the Naval Service conducts maritime surveillance and fisheries patrols in the Irish Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), supported by the Air Corps, which are equipped with state-of-the-art surveillance and communication equipment.
It said the Irish Naval Service Fisheries Monitoring Centre in Haulbowline also continues to remotely monitor vessels in the Irish EEZ on a 24/7 basis.
“The Naval Service is currently operating a three-ship model, with two ships operational and another ship on standby,” it said.
The has previously reported that just one ship has been out on patrol for the past few months monitoring fishing activity as well as potential threats of drug importation, with the three other modern P60 class vessels undergoing maintenance. The one ship in use is on constant patrol as it is swapping crews from others to keep fully operational.
The Naval Service said recruitment and retention of personnel was a key priority for Defence Minister Micheál Martin and that phase 3 of a Naval Service-specific recruitment campaign launched in January.
“A number of measures have been introduced by the Government to address recruitment and retention challenges in the Defence Forces, including the private secondary healthcare for all members and increased starting wages,” it said.
“Also, from January 1, the Patrol Duty Allowance paid to Naval Service personnel after 10 days at sea has doubled.”
The statement added: “In terms of additional resources, two Inshore Patrol Vessels bought from the New Zealand Navy are currently undergoing a comprehensive programme of works, including crew familiarisation and training prior to becoming operational this year. Work is also under way by the Department of Defence in relation to the acquisition of a new multi-role vessel.”