Laws ‘should underpin witness protection scheme’

THE Witness Protection Programme needs to be upgraded in the fight against crime, Dáil Public Accounts Committee chairman Michael Noonan said yesterday.

Money paid out for witness protection was halved in the period 2003-2005 from almost €1.2 million to €540,547.

Mr Noonan said the programme must now undergo a total overhaul as it is a vitally important in the fight against serious crime.