Human Rights Commission concerned about new garda powers

The Human Rights Commission (HRC) has expressed concern about new powers that the Government is planning to grant to gardaí.

Justice Minister Michael McDowell is in the process of devising legislation giving gardaí the right to take bodily samples against a person’s will, to detain suspects for up to 24 hours and to issue search warrants.

The Human Rights Commission said such powers should only be introduced if proper controls are put in place to ensure that gardaí did not abuse them.