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Mobile phone firms seek meeting with Drugs Minister

Tuesday, 24 July 2007

Mobile phone companies are seeking a meeting with Junior Minister for Drugs to discuss his plan to force all mobile phone users to register their details.

At present, people can buy a pay-as-you-go mobile without giving a name and address.

Drugs Minister Pat Carey is planning to force these phone users to register their details as part of an initiative to improve surveillance on drug dealers and crack down on mobile phone use in prisons.

Digital Rights Ireland has already described the plan as a blatant breach of people's rights, saying it will allow the Government to track the movements of every citizen with a mobile phone.

The mobile phone companies, meanwhile, say the measure is not feasible and will create a number of difficulties.

They say no other European country has attempted a mobile register and it would be easy for a criminal to purchase a SIM card abroad and use it here without detection.