Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

We are dealing here with a system of recording phone calls into and out of some Garda stations over a period of up to 30 years. As with other matters under investigation, these are issues which far predate my tenure as Minister for Justice and Equality. This issue, like others, is one that existed throughout the lifetime of the previous Government and, indeed, we now know the recording system was upgraded during that Government's term of office in 2008. We also know that a legislative basis was given in 2007 to ensure the legality of emergency 999 calls.

I do not know whether my predecessor in this office or any Member of the previous Government was any more aware of these recordings than I was until Monday evening of this week and I will not make any accusations in that regard.

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