Clare Daly (Dublin North, Socialist Party)

Despite the Minister's claim, this is a case of sharing fingerprint and DNA information collected in Ireland with the US authorities. Under the process, when a hit is made, it triggers a system of information exchange. The definition of serious crime as one where a sentence of 12 months or longer is given is ambiguous and would see many misdemeanours included.

As Deputy O'Brien stated, given the questions over DNA and individuals' right to privacy, this situation must be strictly monitored. I have grave concerns about information belonging to Irish citizens being exchanged with the US, particularly when we consider how some of our citizens, such as Mr. Seán Garland, have been treated. Extradition proceedings were pursued against an elderly, ill person who denied all responsibility for the charges, yet he was persecuted. A campaign was run to ensure he received justice.

The question of whether these standards are compliant with human rights is important. Why is the DNA being taken, what is the process used, for how long will the information be stored, can it removed and who has access to it?

At the heart of this matter is the US regime. We are discussing combating terrorism, but there is such a thing as US terrorism and this issue needs to be considered. The standard of justice in the US is less than that enjoyed by our citizens. The American Civil Liberties Union has expressed grave concerns about the types of sample being maintained on databases, including the DNA of people who have not been convicted of anything yet are not allowed access to that information to prove their innocence. We only need to consider the example of Guantanamo Bay where more than 800 people have been detained during the past decade and of whom only six have been convicted. Is this the type of society with which we want to share our citizens' DNA? The death penalty exists in many parts of the US. On the last day of last year, Congress passed an Act that, for the first time, enshrined in the US legal system the right to indefinite detention without charge, which is in direct violation of habeas corpus.

This agreement is an affront to the civil liberties and human rights of Irish citizens and nothing is given in return. The idea that introducing measures such as this will somehow make the world safer is a sick joke. Instead of descending into paranoia and introducing measures that undermine civil liberties and attack human rights, the US would be better off addressing the conditions that breed alienation and young people's disenchantment, for example, poverty and US imperialism.

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