Ahern confirms Garda file brought to shop for printing

A GARDA file on an alleged criminal gang was brought to a photocopying shop for printing, Minister for Justice Dermot Ahern confirmed in the Dáil.

TDs heard that while a “designated member of staff” of the Dublin city centre shop was dealing with the printing request “members of the Garda Síochána became aware that this person communicated with a third party without the consent of the Garda”.

The file was being prepared for the Director of Public Prosecutions and while the Garda had a full in-house photocopying facility a decision to use the shop was taken “for operational reasons”, to “present the file in a better format for presentation to the DPP”.

Fine Gael justice spokesman Alan Shatter described the incident as “an extraordinary example of complete incompetence” and claimed the shop was Read’s Print and Design on Nassau street.

He said there is “a public need to maintain confidentiality on such files” and described the incident as an example of the Keystone Cops, especially given “the difficulties we have with gangland crime and the extent of the collapse of law and order and the number of people shot on our streets”.