Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The Government technology comment comes from Verrimus. The information that this is available on the web and can otherwise be acquired has come from, I think, the Rits company. Mr. Simon O'Brien himself was sceptical that this technology is only available through government agencies. In the context of that there are one or two quotes here. Mr. Kieran FitzGerald, on page 31 of the transcript of the proceedings before this committee, said:

The report presented to us by these experts says it was technology available only to government agencies in the normal run of things but there are many things lawfully available to governments and lawful agencies that may be available to other people in an unlawful context. We should bear that in mind. Technology that may be available to be deployed lawfully by government agencies is perhaps a better interpretation.

Then Mr. O'Brien, in response to Deputy Lucinda Creighton, who raised this issue, also said:

That is the particular stated opinion of the security company. Whether it is individuals or a state agency, that is the opinion of that particular report.