Taoiseach says law on GSOC powers may be changed

Taoiseach Enda Kenny has said changing the legislation allowing the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission (GSOC) to access journalists' telephone records may be necessary to protect sources.

Minister for Justice Frances Fitzgerald is to bring a memo to Cabinet today on a planned review of GSOC powers and how it may be carried out.

The controversy surrounding the accessing of personal data began last week when The Irish Times revealed GSOC had viewed two journalists' phone records without their knowledge or consent on foot of a complaint about reports on the death of model Katy French in 2007.

Fundamental principle

Yesterday Mr Kenny said, “clearly the fundamental principle of journalistic sources being confidential is very important in a democracy”.

He said Ms Fitzgerald was looking at the issue on “the basis of the protection of the sources of information for journalists in a free world, in a free press”.

“Fundamentally, I think that where issues like this are concerned that it would be appropriate that the legislation be reformed to reflect that.

“Because whatever else people might argue about, there has always been a consistency about the protection of sources for information for members of the press in a democracy like ours.”

It is understood the approach for the review will be decided at the Cabinet meeting.

Sinn Féin called on Ms Fitzgerald to explain the phone surveillance to the Dáil, while Fianna Fáil said it would introduce a Bill to deal with the issue.