DNA Database will help in the fight against serious crime
A National DNA Database would help Gardaí in the fight against serious crimes, according to local Fianna Fáil TD Niall Blaney. 25-01-10Welcoming the publication of a new Bill which proposes the establishment, for the first time, of such a database, Deputy Blaney said: “Keeping a database of people who are proven to have been involved in serious crimes will give Gardaí crucial and unprecedented access to intelligence that would be of significant help to them in solving serious cases.”
“When the Bill becomes law, everyone who is arrested for a serious offence can be required to give a sample and everyone who is serving a sentence for a serious offence when this new law comes into force will be required to give a sample for the database. The samples will then be able to be used as evidence in criminal trials.”
“A lot of consideration has gone into this legislation and in particular to issues such as rights to privacy and there are a number of steps involved that will ensure that ordinary people have nothing to fear from it. There will also be a full debate in the Dáil before the legislation is finalised.”
“Restrictions have been placed on the time period for which samples can be retained on the database and only those convicted of very serious offences will have their materials held indefinitely.”
“But when introduced I believe it will transform crime solving in this country. When the Bill becomes law, everyone who is arrested for a serious offence can be required to give a sample. A profile generated from that sample will be placed on the new database, along with samples collected at crime scenes.
“The analysis of the material on the database will produce "hits" that may indicate a link between the person and other offences where he was previously involved but no link had previously come to light. “
“The very fact that such a sophisticated database will be in operation will, I hope, also act as a deterrent for some people.”
“The database will be established and operated by the Forensic Science Laboratory. It will carry out the analysis and give the results to the Gardaí.”
“This will be one of the most important steps in the modernisation of how law enforcement is carried out in this country and I look forward to its introduction,” concluded Niall Blaney TD.
