‘Sinister’: Serious Concerns Raised About Bill Allowing Gardaí to Seize Journalists’ Phones - 09/01/2026
A bill quietly announced by the Minister for Justice Jim O’Callaghan over the Christmas break has come under sharp criticism this week over fears it will have a chilling effect on press freedoms and force journalists to reveal their sources.News that Cabinet had approved the Garda Síochána (Powers) Bill (2025) was announced by the Department of Justice in a press release on Saturday 27 December. Under the proposed legislation, gardaí will be given greater powers to search digital devices such as phones without prior judicial approval.Sinn Féin’s justice spokesperson Matt Carthy has said that…
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