Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)

My officials spoke to Mr. Doherty's solicitor following his imprisonment and were told he would prefer to serve his sentence than have someone intercede on his behalf. My officials met a number of other people in this regard. While there have been fairly serious misgivings about the matter in Derry, it is within the remit of the tribunal and is not one in which we can intervene.

The matter of the bugging device was raised with the British authorities in September and they replied that it was their Government's policy to neither confirm nor deny the existence of these types of covert operations. However, as a general point, it would be of concern to me that surveillance of any type would take place, particularly surveillance of Deputies.

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