Irish phone tapping scandal

Not to be confused with the Garda phone recordings scandal, revealed in 2014.

On 18 December 1982, Irish Times security correspondent Peter Murtagh broke the news that the telephone of Bruce Arnold and Geraldine Kennedy had been tapped officially with warrants signed by former Minister for Justice Seán Doherty.[1] This was revealed after the November 1982 elections which the outgoing government had lost.[1]

Incoming Minister for Justice Michael Noonan ordered an investigation and on 20 January 1983 announced findings that the previous Fianna Fáil government had authorised illegal phone tapping of the journalists Geraldine Kennedy, Bruce Arnold[2][3][4] and Vincent Browne.[1][5] Seán Doherty signed warrants for the taps while Minister for Justice.[1] Normally phone tapping was used to investigate serious crime or threats to the security of the state but the reverse happened in this case, Minister Noonan announced.[1]

  1. ^ a b c d e "Background: Justice minister Seán Doherty initiated tapping of reporters". The Irish Times. 27 December 2013. Archived from the original on 27 December 2013. Retrieved 27 December 2013.
  2. ^ Irish Examiner, Telephone bugs that toppled a Taoiseach Archived 2 April 2008 at the Wayback Machine
  3. ^ "Irish Times obituary for Charles Haughey". The Irish Times. Archived from the original on 3 September 2012. Retrieved 7 March 2009.
  4. ^ "Irish Independent, Full picture of The Boss can only be drawn with shadows by Bruce Arnold". Archived from the original on 20 May 2011. Retrieved 13 May 2008.
  5. ^ "Irish Voice Newspaper, Legendary Pol Dies of Hemorrhage". Archived from the original on 9 June 2011. Retrieved 13 May 2008.