Top law firm critical of forensic services

A TOP criminal law firm has said the country needs a new independent forensic science service or it risks jailing innocent people.

Robert Eagar, of Garrett Sheehan & Partners, said the current forensic laboratory, based at Garda Headquarters was no help to defence teams because it only acts for police and government services.

He called on Justice Minister Brian Lenihan to provide funding for an independent laboratory and said budgetary constraints were not a legitimate reason to risk miscarriages of justice.