Gardaí 'seeking too much access to telephone records'

The Data Protection Commissioner is calling for measures to ensure that gardaí can only access people's phone records when investigating serious crimes.

Launching his annual report for 2005 today, Commissioner Billy Hawkes said phone companies were receiving hundreds of requests for records from gardaí every month.

He said gardaí had a duty to balance the rights of individuals with the need to protect the community and the law should be clarified to make sure they did not breach this duty.

Elsewhere, Mr Hawkes' report says only a minimum of personal information should be included in planning applications posted on local authority websites.

In the financial sector, the report criticises AIB for asking deposit account applicants for excessive information.

It also criticises the cross-marketing of an MBNA credit card by Stein Travel.

Elsewhere, the Data Commissioner says the placement of CCTV cameras on the LUAS line interferes with the privacy of residents, while he also warns the media about the need to balance people's right to privacy with the public interest.