The State is paying €110,000 a week to maintain the MV Matthew, which was seized as part of ongoing maintenance of the MV Matthew, the vessel seized during detection of the largest ever cocaine smuggling operation here.
As The Irish Times reports, costs to the State are close to 10 million euro since the 189-metre bulk cargo ship was detained two years ago.
The newspaper reports that the ship has been described by the Revenue Commissioners as a “considerable” environmental and ecological risk.
The information has come to light in correspondence to the Dáil public accounts committee.
Costs include €3.762 million for the provision of a full-time crew at the ship’s berth in Cork, the committee heard last week.
The ship was detained by the Revenue Commissioners on September 26th, 2023, under customs legislation.
A search of the vessel resulted in 2,253kg of cocaine being found, and eight people were convicted and sentenced to a total of 129 years in prison.
The committee heard that the Revenue Commissioners planned to sell the ship, but was informed by the Director of Public Prosecutions in December 2023 that it was required as evidence in relation to the trial .
The Special Criminal Court authorised the release of the vessel in December 2024.
“However, there are a significant number of regulatory obligations which must be fulfilled in order to finalise the disposal of the MV Matthew and to facilitate the removal of the vessel from the Port of Cork,” the Revenue Commissioners chairman, Niall Cody, told the committee.
Read The Irish Times here
