The head of the garda fraud squad today put up a robust defence of his career and professionalism rejecting any part in the bugging of garda stations.

A retired detective superintendent today said it would have been logistically impossible for him to listen to bugged conversations in a garda station.

A retired garda detective superintendent today claimed he had never heard of ’boxing’ - an irreverent garda term to get suspects to tell the truth.

A former garda surveillance expert was today accused of denying suspects were routinely recorded while in custody for fear scores of convictions would be overturned.

A garda surveillance expert today denied planting bugs to record private conversations between solicitors and their clients.