Vol. 483 No. 6
397 Mr. Gregory asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform further to Parliamentary Question No. 435 of 22 January 1997, if he will state whether the matter has been progressed further; and if regulations have been made in this regard. [21340/97]
My Department is having ongoing discussions with the Garda authorities about the designation of places under the Criminal Justice (Drug Trafficking) Act, 1996, for the purposes of detention of persons suspected of concealing drugs in their bodies. To date the Garda authorities have indicated that one such place will be required in the Dublin area. Work will have to be carried out to ensure that the particular location has facilities suitable for this purpose. Consideration is being given to what the requirements will be for the area outside Dublin. In the circumstances, I am not in a position to indicate precisely when regulations will be made but, as I indicated in my earlier reply to the Deputy, the absence of such regulations does not prevent the operation of the detention provisions of the Act.
