McDowell pushes for videotaped Garda interviews

VIDEOTAPING of garda interrogations is being pushed through as a priority, Justice Minister Michael McDowell said yesterday.

He hopes the move will end controversies surrounding the legitimacy of confessions, some of which have dogged a number of high-profile court cases. But many gardaí, while generally supportive of videotaping, complain that criminals are gaining access to the tapes and using them to train people in anti-interrogation techniques.

“It is something I place a lot of emphasis on. Videotaping of suspects and sound recording is something that is practised elsewhere very effectively and I intend to push for its use on a general and routine basis,” said Mr McDowell.