'Outdated' law for intercepting phone calls and texts poses security risk, warns judge

Updated legislation to allow for State bodies to access encrypted forms of telecommunications is 'urgently required and long overdue'

Mr Justice Charles Meenan claimed the Interception of Postal Packets and Telecommunications Messages (Regulation) Act 1993 essentially limited any interception to texts and voice calls

Legislation which allows the State’s security forces to intercept telecommunication messages is “seriously out of date,” and posing a risk to the security of the State, according to a High Court judge.

Mr Justice Charles Meenan claimed the Interception of Postal Packets and Telecommunications Messages (Regulation) Act 1993 essentially limited any interception to texts and voice calls.