The Irish Embassy in London should make representations to the British authorities about the tactics used by police in the surveillance of Ms Elaine Moore, the Labour Party spokesman on justice has said.
Mr Pat Upton TD said such behaviour by British police would do nothing to improve the confidence of Irish people living in the UK. "The way the undercover policewoman is said to have behaved sounds like she was almost encouraging Elaine to unwittingly incriminate herself."
The Sinn Fein TD for Cavan-Monaghan, Mr Caoimhghin O Caolain, said the case "demonstrates the grave dangers to civil liberties posed by draconian legislation".
The former minister for foreign affairs, Mr Peter Barry, said he found the alleged behaviour of the undercover policewoman "disturbing" and "bizarre". Welcoming Ms Moore's release, he said there was "never anything to connect Elaine even in the most tenuous way to the crime".
However, the Fine Gael MEP, Ms Mary Banotti, said she did not have a problem with the level of surveillance carried out by British police on Ms Moore. Ms Banotti contributed £20,000 towards the sureties and securities demanded by the court.
Asked if she objected to the manner in which the policewoman portrayed herself as a potential flatmate for Ms Moore while recording their conversation, Ms Banotti said: "Thank goodness she did. The evidence she collected proved that Elaine was telling the truth."
The London branch of the Irish Commission for Prisoners Overseas said it was puzzled by the Metropolitan Police's investigation of Ms Moore. The London officer of the campaign group, Father Gerry McFlynn, said the circumstances of her arrest had caused him concern.
