European Union states will be able to tap people's telephones and monitor their e-mails and texts without seeking the permission of the Government, under an EU agreement.
The deal, made in 2000, is to be implemented once the Government gets the Criminal Justice (Mutual Assistance) Bill, which began its passage in the Seanad last week, through the Oireachtas.
In presenting the Bill to the Seanad, Minister for Justice Michael McDowell delivered his speech in Irish, though he did circulate a copy of it in English to senators.
Denying that Mr McDowell had tried to hoodwink senators on the Bill's contents, his Progressive Democrat colleague, Senator John Minihan, said: "Is somebody seriously trying to argue that we would not pay attention to it because it was in Irish?"
However, the decision by the Minister to speak in Irish is unusual, though he has been known to do so on occasion during Seanad contributions. "Most people would be more inclined, even if they could not speak Irish, to pay more attention to it in Irish. People should really give us some credit," Mr Minihan said.
Under the legislation, other EU states will be able to apply to the Minister for Justice for permission to set up intercepts on people living in the Republic, while the State will equally be able to seek co-operation from other countries.
However, EU states, including Ireland, will be able to act in other jurisdictions without permission if they are trying "to prevent an immediate and serious threat to public security".
