Witness protection flexibility defended

The Garda Commissioner has objected to calls for the rules governing the witness protection system to be set down in legislation, arguing that they needed to operate flexibly.

Commissioner Noel Conroy, who met with Taoiseach Bertie Ahern and other senior Ministers last night, said changes could make witnesses more reluctant to come forward.

Last night, the Government parties voted down an attempt by the Labour Party in the Seanad to put the protection programme on a statutory basis.

"In particular, the Garda Commissioner's advice is not only that it is unnecessary to place the existing witness security programme on a statutory basis but to do so could introduce an element of inflexibility which could hinder their efforts," Minister of State Seán Power said.

In particular, the commissioner and the Department of Justice objected to Labour's proposal that the Director of Public Prosecutions should decide who enters the programme.

Such a change would put the DPP "quite inappropriately" in "a pre-eminent position over and above that of the Garda Commissioner", interfering with the commissioner's operational control.

During last night's meeting in Government Buildings, Mr Conroy briefed the Taoiseach and Ministers on gangland violence, particularly in Dublin.

Later, Mr Ahern's spokesman described the meeting as "very productive".