IRA is now involved in drug crime, Deasy claims

GARDAI investigating drug crime "felt unsafe", a Fine Gael backbencher said.

They were very likely to be intimidated by leading figures in the trade who operated on their own outside the law, Mr Austin Deasy (FG, Waterford) said during resumed debate on the Drug Trafficking Bill.

The Provisional IRA was now involved and had issued a hit list using the same strategy as it used in Northern Ireland. The difference there was that the police were geared for dealing with major crime in a way the Garda was not.

He doubted if the Bill was sufficient. "The gangsters in this country who control the drugs trade by and large get away scotfree. The only curbing of their activity is done within their own ranks, as evidenced by the series of gangland killings over the right of individuals to sell drugs in our cities. None of those murders has been solved."

The major operators would be untouchable until drastic measures were taken. Ireland was seen by the Dutch drug trade as "an easy place".

The Army should be brought in to aid the Garda, not necessarily with arms but to assist with observation and other measures needed to bring the situation under control.

Mr Michael McDowell (PD, Dublin South East) rejected an allegation by the Minister for Justice that the PD justice spokeswoman, Ms Liz O'Donnell, had acted improperly in speaking about the drugs operation in Urlingford,"which had clearly gone wrong". He was disappointed that the Minister for Finance had failed to back up the word of the chairman of the Revenue Commissioners that customs officers were not involved in leaking information which compromised the Garda operation.

Ms O'Donnell had accepted the Minister's offer of a briefing from the Garda but she made it clear that she would not be silenced in the House.

He welcomed the new powers in the Bill but said there should be no question of them leading to "a culture of secrecy and obfuscation" and putting out misleading information.

Dr Moosajee Bhamjee (Lab, Clare) said barristers should not accept fees for defending drug barons in the courts and the Government should not be influenced by those who advocated legalisation of cannabis. He had seen people with lack of motivation and schizophrenia following continuous use of cannabis.

"We are risking our future if we legalise it."

There were successes in prosecuting suppliers, as evidenced by the number of eases in court, but they were always the small suppliers. The big ones were never caught.

Mr Batt O'Keeffe (FF, Cork South Central) said efforts to entrap drug barons using the Urlingford haul were to be lauded. It was sad that a tip off should have ended the operation. It raised serious questions about the division between the Garda and Customs and highlighted the lack of a common approach.

Mr Dan Wallace (FF, Cork North Central) said that despite the consequences, the number of young people who ignored all the warnings and experimented with drugs was amazing. "All too often the experimental phase is over within a brief period and the unfortunate individual is well and truly launched on the painful road to full addiction."

Mr Eric Byrne (DL, Dublin South Central) said it was not enough to tackle supply. Demand must be dealt with. A "law and order" approach would not stem the crisis unless it was accompanied by a range of accessible, unbureaucratic health and education measures.

"We need to ensure that the first contact drug addicts have with the State is with the social and medical services, not with the justice system."

If drug ad diets were ordinary patients suffering from an organic disease, there would be a national outcry. "Instead, we turn a blind eye until we are confronted with the effects of drug abuse in the form of crime and anti social behaviour."

Mr John Mulvihill (Lab, Cork East) said there were charges and counter charges about the role played by the Garda and Customs over the Urlingford drugs. It was even claimed that there was a "turf war" going on between the two agencies. "This feud needs to be sorted out quickly," he said. "The State must adopt a united approach to the drugs problem, not a divided one.

There should be one agency, an anti drugs task force, that would have the necessary powers and resources to fight drugs in co operation with the existing agencies.

The Government Chief Whip Mr Jim Higgins, replying on behalf of the Minister for Justice, said the Urlingford seizure was still the subject of a major Garda investigation. It was being conducted at an international level, involving people suspected of being top players in the trade, and it was essential not to hamper it. No more should be said about it for now.

The Government recognised the importance of prevention and promoting a healthy lifestyle. The Minister for Health had announced a range of initiatives. The Bill must be seen in the context of a global approach to the problem.

Referring to the seven day detention period for questioning provided for in the Bill, he said this might seem "rather draconian". But the Minister had set out her reasons for it and laid great emphasis on the safeguards which accompanied it. The suspect would have to be brought to court. The provision was aimed at "major players" who were international, and time was needed to make inquiries, possibly from police forces abroad.

The second stage was agreed.