asked the Minister for Justice if any private telephones are at present being tapped in Ireland by official bodies; and, if so, how many.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Private Telephone Tapping.
22.
The power to intercept telephone communications is exercised pursuant to warrants issued under the hand and seal of the Minister for Justice and such warrants are issued only for security purposes or for the prevention and detection of serious crime, information as to which could be got in no other way.
It has never been the practice and it would be contrary to the public interest to disclose information as to the number of warrants that may be in force at any particular time.
Could we have an assurance that there is no abuse of this system?
Yes.
The Minister who is answering the question could give that, but I would not like to hear the Minister for Justice answering in the same flippant way.
That is not flippant.
It is not true.
It is.
It is not, of course.