Access to EU DNA may help us solve cold cases

FROM now on, gardaí will be able to automatically cross-reference DNA from crime scenes and victims across Ireland with all European forensic databases – a move which could help crack multiple cold cases.

Justice Minister Charlie Flanagan made the announcement yesterday that the first phase of the new Europeanwide system, in which gardaí will be able to immediately access millions of DNA samples across Europe at the touch of a computer, had begun.

The deal grants An Garda Síochána access to DNA databases across the 27 other European countries, as well as Iceland and Norway. However, a Department of Justice source said they were unsure whether Brexit would mean the UK would no longer be part of the database, which could prove a major hindrance to Garda investigations.

Ireland has lagged behind other EU countries in the introduction of such a database, as ours only became operational in November 2015. The UK, by comparison, set up its database in 1995.

Mr Flanagan said that the Irish database – which is operated by Forensic Science Ireland – contains 16,361 DNA profiles of suspected offenders and convicted offenders. Access to the national DNA database and automated fingerprint information system by other states will be strictly controlled and have regard to data protection requirements in respect of personal data.

Searches will be conducted by officers authorised for that purpose using DNA profiles or fingerprint data that do not contain any

‘Mobility of criminals’

identifying information. ‘In other words, it will be anonymous,’ the Department of Justice said in a statement.

Minister Flanagan said: ‘I have no doubt that access to DNA and such databases between states has huge potential to be very useful in view of the international mobility of criminals.’