Cutter launch: The provision of the first purpose-built Revenue Customs cutter since the foundation of the State was yesterday hailed as a major step in the fight against drug trafficking by the Minister for Finance, Mr McCreevy, at the official naming of the vessel in Cork Harbour yesterday.
Mr McCreevy said the Government's National Drugs Strategy had set a target of significantly reducing the supply of illegal drugs and the provision of the Customs vessel, the RCC Suirbheir, represented an important strengthening of the Revenue's capacity to carry forward the fight against the importation of drugs.
Mr McCreevy pointed out that the Revenue Customs Section last year seized drugs worth 21 million and detained over 500,000 in suspected drug-related cash.
"I trust that record of achievement will benefit significantly from the Government's investment in this vessel," he added.
Revenue chairman Mr Frank Daly said the provision of the 22.7m long cutter - which has a speed of 25 knots, can accommodate a crew of six and can stay at sea for up to a week - was a significant and historic day for the service as the RCC Suirbheir was the first such vessel to be launched since the Revenue Commissioners' office was established in 1922.
"Current and historic drug-trafficking patterns are likely to continue into the future. This impressive vessel will play a very important role in ensuring that the environment for drug smugglers who come into our territorial waters and ports becomes increasingly and significantly more difficult," said Mr Lynch.
The RCC , built by Finnish company Uudenkaupungin Tyovene at a cost of 1.6 million, was formally named yesterday by Ms Noeleen McCreevy, wife of the Minister, at a ceremony at the quayside of the Port of Cork offices in Cork Harbour, where the vessel will be based, though she will cover all Irish territorial waters up to the 12-mile limit. Mr Daly paid tribute to the flag officer commanding the Naval Service, Commodore Frank Lynch, for the Naval Service's co-operation including the assigning of Lieut Cdr Pat Allen, who will skipper the cutter for her first year.
He also thanked Mr Harri Putro of Uudenkaupungin Tyovene for building the boat to such high standards and delivering it on schedule.
Questioned about how the unarmed customs crew would deal with armed smugglers, a Revenue spokesman said it was not envisaged that the RCC Suirbheir would be used in confrontational situations but if Customs had intelligence to suggest it was dealing with armed smugglers, they would call on the Naval Service for assistance as they do with the Garda.The Revenue Customs National Drugs Team has made a number of huge seizures in Irish waters in recent years. ...
Barry Roche