Vol. 469 No. 6
191 Mr. Davern asked the Minister for Transport, Energy and Communications if he intends to introduce any regulations or laws to prohibit the use of scanners monitoring Garda Síochána radios; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18074/96]
While it is an offence under the Wireless Telegraphy Act, 1926 to improperly divulge the contents of any radio transmission, scanners are, in the main, passive listening devices and have quite legitimate uses beyond any ability to overhear Garda or other radio transmissions. It would not be practicable to ban them or to license their use, and accordingly, I have no plans to do so.
