Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I move amendment No. 2:

In page 31, line 9, to delete “or”.

This is effectively adding some new wording in subsection (3). Amendments Nos. 2, 3 and 4 are linked. Section 32, which is about permitted searching, sets out the manner in which a DNA profile entered into the DNA Military Police database system may be compared with other DNA profiles entered into that system and onto the DNA database system established under the Act of 2014, in other words, the work of An Garda Síochána, primarily. This series of amendments clarifies the DNA profiles entered in the reference Military Police index of the DNA database established under this legislation may be compared with DNA profiles held under the equivalent crime scene index and the reference index of the DNA database established under the Criminal Justice (Forensic Evidence and DNA Database System) Act 2014.

The amendments arose following a concern raised by Forensic Science Ireland, FSI, concerning the current wording of this section. FSI is responsible for establishing and operating the DNA database under both this legislation and the Act of 2014.

Having reviewed the matter, Parliamentary Counsel has advised that an amendment to this section should be brought forward to clarify the matter and to ensure that the appropriate searches and comparisons can be carried out by Forensic Science Ireland, FSI, with regard to DNA profiles held on the military police database and on the database under the Criminal Justice (Forensic Evidence and DNA Database System) Act 2014.

That is self-explanatory. This about making sure that the two databases can be cross-referenced, if there are cases to justify that. Amendment No. 4 is the most important of these three amendments. Amendments Nos. 2 and 3 just facilitate amendment No. 4 in terms of change of wording. It is a sensible amendment and I hope the committee can support it.