Graham Dwyer ruling: Cabinet initiates emergency law to allow gardaí retain phone data

Helen McEntee emphasises 'safeguards and protections' but says 'we must not allow the balance to shift too far away from keeping people safe and fighting crime'. 

Justice Minister Helen McEntee: 'I do not want a situation where An Garda Síochána have their hands tied behind their backs.' File picture: Gareth Chaney

The Cabinet has signed off on the drafting of emergency legislation to allow gardaí to access retained phone data in the wake of the Graham Dwyer murder trial ruling.

Justice Minister Helen McEntee has received the approval to fast-track legislation to address the impact of recent judgments of the European Court of Justice, that found Ireland’s system of general and indiscriminate retention of data for the investigation of serious crime breaches EU laws.