‘Sticking plaster crisis’ at forensic body: Director

The Department of Justice is considering a number of options to bring to an end the crisis bedeviling the State’s forensic agency but no “specific arrangements” have yet been made.

The department has told the Irish Examiner that further legislation is being finalised to enable the long- awaited DNA database to “become operational as early as possible”.

Responding to comments by the head of Forensic Science Ireland last week, a department spokesman said it was pursuing the provision of a new facility and was hiring staff.