Bernard Allen
Question:93 Mr. Allen asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the follow up action, if any, he has taken in relation to the interception by British authorities of phone, fax and e-mail communications from Ireland. [20963/99]
Written Answers. - British Intelligence Activities.
I refer the Deputy to my reply of 29 September in relation to a similar question.
At that time, I informed the House that the Ambassador in London had raised these allegations at a very senior level in the British Foreign Office, and had emphasised the public concern, and that of the Government, at allegations contained in a programme broadcast on Channel 4 on 15 July. The Ambassador was informed that it is British Government policy neither to confirm nor deny allegations of specific intelligence activities. His interlocutor was therefore not in a position to comment on the detailed points raised in the Channel 4 report. However, he informed the Ambassador that the interception of telecommunications by British authorities was carried out in accordance with the British Interception of Communications Act 1985.
The Ambassador had a further meeting in the Foreign Office on 12 October and emphasised the concerns of Members about these allegations.
The Foreign Office official whom the Ambassador met said that he could not go beyond what he had said on the previous occasion – the British Government never comments on specific allegations of intelligence activities. He could not confirm or deny the original Channel Four report; nor could he respond to the specific questions raised by the Ambassador. He repeated his description of the operation of the Interception of Communications Act 1985, and confirmed that intercepts could only be carried out under its terms.
Following receipt of the Ambassador's report of his second meeting, a meeting of relevant Departments, as well as representatives of the Defence Forces and the Garda Síochána, was convened in the Department of Foreign Affairs on 15 October 1999. The purpose of the meeting was to enable the participants to assess the situation to date, and to address the issue of improved telecommunications security for the future.
As requested by the Joint Committee on Foreign Affairs, a detailed report has now been submitted to the Committee.