Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)

The Minister asked for information about witness intimidation. I will supply information to him on such a case. The person felt he was coerced to give evidence; he felt he had no other choice. He gave evidence and was posted out of the country in the witness protection programme at very great cost to himself and his family. He is back in the jurisdiction and feels that he is not protected and safe. He believes it has not worked as it ought. I will furnish that information to the Minister after Question Time, in the hope that he will treat it with a little more discretion and confidence than he treated the last information I gave him.

What caused the change of heart in the Department regarding the Garda Síochána (Powers of Surveillance) Bill 2007? I published the Bill in November 2007, and the Minister's predecessor said, in a memorable phrase, that all it would do is "alert the criminals to Garda investigative techniques". That seemed to indicate that both the Department and the Garda Síochána were opposed to evidence gathered in that fashion being made admissible in court. It appears to have taken the murder of Shane Geoghegan and the recent tragedy that befell the Collins family to change the mindset. Will the Minister explain why they have come around to the point of view that the principles I set out in that Bill are what is required?

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