LATEST: Garda Síochána say rules around phone tapping strengthened in recent years
: An Garda Síochána said the procedures and rules around phone tapping have been strengthened in recent years.
Allegations emerged today that a significant number of people - who were not under any suspicion by Gardaí - had their calls monitored.
An ex-Garda - who took a legal action against the force - reportedly made allegations that the practice happened in the late ‘90s and early 2000s.
: It is reported a significant number of innocent people had their phones tapped by Gardaí.
The allegation was made by a former Garda intelligence officer - who says it happened from the late nineties to early noughties.
According to the former Garda, officers often bypassed the stringent regulations surrounding wire taps to listen to private conversations.
It is alleged this practice went on for almost a decade.
Today's Irish Independent reports the ex-Garda made allegations that strict protocols for placing wire taps were sometimes ignored.
