DIRECTOR DEFENDS RETURNING OF DRUG SAMPLES

The decision of the Forensic Science Laboratory to return more than
200 drug samples to gardai untested would not result in any suspect
walking free, the laboratory's director insisted yesterday.

Dr Jim Donovan defended the decision to return the 230 samples
untested as part of a move to give priority to cases and to enable his
staff to process their huge workload. The untested samples related to
cases where the Garda did not have a suspect and there was therefore
little point in providing forensic analysis, he explained. All cases
where there were suspects would be tested.

"We have been testing samples since 1979 and nobody has walked free
because of any shortcoming on our part, and they are not going to do
it now," Dr Donovan said.

The Forensic Science Laboratory tested 780 drug samples last year, but
has received 8,500 samples already this year. Because of the increased
workload, Dr Donovan decided earlier this month to write to the Garda
to inform it that certain samples had not been tested and seeking
verification that they did not need to be tested.

"We are talking about cases where cannabis resin may have been found
on waste ground and there is no suspect, or we may have the contents
of an ash tray in a house or a car where the gardai cannot prove who
used the tray," he said.

The Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform last night rejected
media reports that drugs prosecutions might be jeopardised or delayed
due to an alleged lack of resources at the forensic laboratory.

Samples were only returned untested in cases where there was no
indication of a suspect and no apparent chance of a prosecution, or
minor cases where only trace amounts of the drug were present, the
Department said. The priority of a drug test could be changed at the
request of the Gardai.

"This is good management practice by the laboratory whereby resources
are used to maximise its efficiency," the Department statement read.

The Labour spokesman on justice, Mr Brendan Howlin, said the
Government must immediately provide emergency funding to the State
laboratory so it could continue its crucial role.

"It will come as a major shock to dozens of communities across the
country, which have been blighted by drugs that, at a time of plenty,
the Government does not have the foresight to properly fund the
forensic laboratory," Mr Howlin said.

Dr Donovan noted a dramatic increase in the amounts of amphetamine
powder and tablets they were being asked to analyse. There continued
to be a large amount of ecstasy tablet samples and there was also an
increase in the number of cocaine cases.

"The Celtic Tiger has put more money in people's pockets and this has
contributed to the rise in drug cases," Dr Donovan said.

The difficulty in tackling the workload was added to by the temporary
absence of five of their 44 scientists and technicians. The
laboratory's pounds 2 million budget is provided by the Department of
Justice, Equality and Law Reform.