Contract signed for Garda radio system

Gardaí are to be issued with a new secure radio system starting later this year, Minister for Justice Brian Lenihan said this morning.

Officers in the Dublin Metropolitan Region will be first to use the new system with a full role-out across the State within two years, Mr Lenihan said a statement. He said his Department had signed a contract with Tetra Ireland Ltd last night for the provision of the national digital radio service.

Garda radios currently work on the analogue system, which can be intercepted by criminals and others using scanners, but digital radio transmissions are secured against eavesdropping, according to the Minister.

They also offer better coverage, a push-button emergency signal and are compatible with the system used by the PSNI. Data can also be transmitted. Many officers have resorted to using their mobile phones in the absence of a secure radio system.

The digital radio service was first mooted by the Government in 2001, when a pilot project was carried out to assess its usefulness.

The contract will also provide a secure digital radio service for members of other emergency and allow all emergency services to communicate with each other. It will also allow gardai to communicate with members of the PSNI when necessary.

Tetra Ireland is a company formed for the delivery of the service and comprises Eircom, Motorola and Sigma Wireless.