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Justice Minister Alan Shatter today announced the publication of the Criminal Justice (Forensic Evidence and DNA Database System) Bill 2013.

The key innovation in the Bill is the establishment of a DNA database to assist the Garda Síochána in tackling crime. The database, when established, will have the capacity to link crimes and to identify suspects in relation to unsolved crimes enabling the Gardaí to better target their investigations and make better use of resources. Making use of such database technology in the forensics field has the added benefit of facilitating the searching, subject to strict conditions, of other national DNA databases.

Making the announcement, Minister Shatter said:

When I became Minister for Justice, Equality and Defence in 2011, I made it a priority to bring forward comprehensive legislation to facilitate the optimal use of DNA in the fight against crime and to enhance cooperation within the EU and with other countries. In doing this, I was also determined that the legislation would fully respect human rights. I am satisfied that we have met all of these objectives.

The intelligence generated will be invaluable to the Gardaí in relation to identifying prolific offenders involved in volume crime such as burglary but also in relation to serious offences against the person, such as homicide and sexual offences. It will contribute to the move towards more effective, targeted and smarter policing and will also facilitate cooperation with other police forces in relation to mobile criminals.

In addition to benefitting criminal investigations the database will also be of benefit in identifying missing and unknown persons (including unidentified human remains) whether in individual cases or as the result of a natural or man-made disaster.

The actual data will be held on purpose built software supplied by the FBI to agencies around the world. This software called CODIS (Combined DNA Index System) is used in over 40 countries, including 18 EU member states. It was installed in the Forensic Science Laboratory in 2012. This software installation will allow mutual searching of European databases as defined by the Prum Council Decision.

The database will be established and operated by the Forensic Science Laboratory of the Department of Justice and Equality at its current location at Garda HQ, Phoenix Park.

Read the full press release

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