Privacy patrol: Gardaí investigate claim mechanic may have bugged official cars

GARDAÍ yesterday confirmed they are investigating claims that official Garda cars may have been bugged by a civilian mechanic.

The Garda Press Office made the statement yesterday following separate reports in two Sunday newspapers.

According to the reports, a man was stopped by the Garda National Drugs Unit at Dublin Port disembarking from a ferry from Britain and found to be carrying bugging equipment.

He was stopped as part of routine checks by the drugs unit. While possession of bugging equipment is not a criminal offence, gardaí discovered when they checked the man’s background, that he worked for a contractor which carried out maintenance work on Garda cars.

The cars in question are reported to be used by specialist, and sensitive agencies, such as the Special Detective Unit, which targets paramilitary crime.

The reports said about 24 cars had been traced to work carried out by the man and that these vehicles had been recalled for examination, to check for any bugging equipment.

There is no suggestion, or any evidence yet, that any cars were bugged.

A Garda spokesman confirmed the matter was being investigated: “We can confirm we are investigating allegations that there was bugging of official garda cars.”

However, a number of senior Garda sources yesterday stressed the media reports greatly exaggerated the reality of the situation, but declined to go into any detail on the matter.

The bulk of official Garda cars are maintained by outside contractors and not by Garda mechanics.