Ms Clare McNamara:

I can assure the Deputy at the beginning that the CCPC would only do so under a warrant from the court. I accept it is probably not clear from the general scheme. Also, the CCPC would only be doing this in very restricted circumstances, purely in the investigation of cartels because cartel behaviour is criminal behaviour. It would only be in the investigation of cartels and it would always require a warrant from the court.

It would only be in exceptional circumstances where they need to do it immediately and do not have time to get involved in asking the Garda to get the warrant on their behalf. They want to be able to apply directly for a warrant. Sometimes it happens with cartel behaviour that the CCPC can get very late notice that there is a meeting about to happen in a hotel room and it knows that the meeting could have very serious implications in terms of a cartel's operations.