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30/04/2008
Gardaí 'Bugging' Gang Members
Gardai could soon be using the latest technology to convict Ireland's gangland criminals.
New legislation has been proposed that would enable gardaí to use vital information, gathered through surveillance techniques, as prosecution evidence in court against serious crime suspects.
It has taken six months just to produce the Bill without compromising the secrecy of the force's surveillance tactics, but now Justice Minister Brian Lenihan has given the go-ahead for the new legislation to implement the changes.
The legislation will focus on evidence acquired through bugging places where criminals meet, including their homes and cars.
However, information gleaned through telephone tapping will continue to be used solely for intelligence purposes rather than being useable as evidence in court.
Last night, Garda Commissioner Fachtna Murphy welcomed the move saying he was satisfied that more intrusive surveillance methods would yield significant results for the gardaí.
He said it was a very complex issue and had to be carefully considered before a decision was reached.
The minister said gardai had been engaging in surveillance very successfully for some time and it was clearly very important not to sanction any changes that could interfere with the confidentiality of those techniques.
The Minister for Justice, Mr Lenihan, said that the issues were complex and it was vital that the drafting of the proposals was correct, but he hoped to bring forward proposals later this year.
(DW)
New legislation has been proposed that would enable gardaí to use vital information, gathered through surveillance techniques, as prosecution evidence in court against serious crime suspects.
It has taken six months just to produce the Bill without compromising the secrecy of the force's surveillance tactics, but now Justice Minister Brian Lenihan has given the go-ahead for the new legislation to implement the changes.
The legislation will focus on evidence acquired through bugging places where criminals meet, including their homes and cars.
However, information gleaned through telephone tapping will continue to be used solely for intelligence purposes rather than being useable as evidence in court.
Last night, Garda Commissioner Fachtna Murphy welcomed the move saying he was satisfied that more intrusive surveillance methods would yield significant results for the gardaí.
He said it was a very complex issue and had to be carefully considered before a decision was reached.
The minister said gardai had been engaging in surveillance very successfully for some time and it was clearly very important not to sanction any changes that could interfere with the confidentiality of those techniques.
The Minister for Justice, Mr Lenihan, said that the issues were complex and it was vital that the drafting of the proposals was correct, but he hoped to bring forward proposals later this year.
(DW)
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