Vol. 471 No. 8
95 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Justice her views on whether there is a role for members of the public or press or any other body to be represented when illegal drugs are being disposed of by the gardaí in order to reassure the general public of their destruction and in the interests of accountability. [22310/96]
With regard to details of the present arrangements for the disposal of illegal drugs I refer the Deputy to my answer to his Parliamentary Questions Nos. 223 to 226, inclusive, on Tuesday, 12 November 1996.
Normal procedures provide for the destruction of drugs to be witnessed by an officer of An Garda Síochána of not lower than superintendent rank or, alternatively, for an inspector acting for him or her and a system of records and certification by the officer or inspector when destruction is completed. There is no provision at present to have any member of the public present when such drugs are being destroyed and I am satisfied that there is no reason to change this arrangement.
