Gilroy urges Irish phone-hack probe

A SENATOR has called on Irish authorities to investigate if the News of the World phone-hacking scandal was repeated here.

Labour senator John Gilroy said the move was vital due to the newspaper’s circulation in Ireland.

He was speaking after Rupert Murdoch, whose News International owns the News of the World, said he would stand by its former editor Rebekah Brooks despite the “deplorable” nature of the hacking.

People targeted include murdered schoolgirl Milly Dowler, the families of Soham child murder victims Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman, and relatives of those who died in the 7/7 London bombings.

The scandal is the subject of several inquiries. Calls have also been made to investigate other media outlets, a move supported by Britain’s Information Commissioner Christopher Graham. Two reports in 2006 by his office outlined concerns over non-phone hacking incidents where 31 publications illegally bought personal information.

They found 182 transactions for personal information involving News of the World journalists in 2006.

More were found at the Daily Mail (952), Sunday People (802), Daily Mirror (681), Mail on Sunday (266), The London Evening Standard (130), Observer (103) and The Sun (24).