Sligo/Leitrim TD and Sinn Fein spokesman on Justice Martin Kenny says people have a right to privacy but they also have a right to be protected from dangerous offenders.
He was speaking in the aftermath of yesterday’s ruling by European Court of Justice on access to mobile phone data.
It found that Irish law for retaining certain mobile phone data, and which can be easily accessed by gardaí investigating serious crimes, is in breach of EU law.
It followed a legal challenge by convicted killer Graham Dwyer of a law allowing mobile phone data to be retained, accessed and later used as evidence against him for the murder of Elaine O’Hara.
There are concerns the EU court ruling could have significant implications for crime investigation and the effort to track the movements of suspected criminals.
Concern about the issue was also raised here in the north west earlier this year during Garda investigations of serious crime.
Speaking to Ocean FM News, Deputy Kenny says balance is needed when it comes to rights:
