Michael McDowell (Dublin South East, Progressive Democrats)

I am grateful to the Deputy for raising the issue. I have not examined it at all. This is the first time the issue has been raised with me. I know the Garda believes it has an adequate legal basis for conducting inquiries into matters which are currently the subject of public concern. If there were any requirement for a change in the law, as the House is aware, in the next couple of weeks we will be publishing a major criminal justice statute and I will deal with the matter in that context.

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