I propose to take Questions Nos. 132 to 138, inclusive, together.
The interception of telecommunications is governed by the provisions of the Interception of Postal Packets and Telecommunications Messages (Regulation) Act 1993. It is not the practice and it would be contrary to the public interest to disclose if an authorisation to intercept has or has not been granted in any particular case.
The retention of and access to telecommunications traffic and location data is governed by the provisions of Part 7 of the Criminal Justice (Terrorist Offences) Act 2005. It is not the practice and it would be contrary to the public interest to disclose if a data access request has or has not been made in any particular case.
Section 9 of the 1993 Act provides for a Complaints Referee to examine complaints of contravention of both the 1993 Act and Part 7 of the 2005 Act. Accordingly, it is open to any person, if s/he considers that there may have been such a contravention, to apply to the Complaints Referee for an investigation into the matter. The current Complaints Referee is His Honour Judge Carroll Moran, Judge of the Circuit Court, who may be contacted via of the Office of the President of the Circuit Court, The Four Courts, Dublin 7.