Senior Garda sources continued to insist yesterday that there was no officially sanctioned interception of telephone calls during investigations into the alleged illegal activities of gardai in Co Donegal.
The denials continued as the current affairs magazine, Magill, repeated claims that solicitors representing people who have made complaints against gardai may have had their telephone conversations intercepted.
Magill reported that two lawyers representing the McBrearty family, who own licensed premises in Raphoe, Co Donegal, were "astounded" earlier this year when papers concerning their client were delivered to another barrister.
The magazine report, entitled "Clear and Present Danger", says the two lawyers had discussed retaining the services of the Donegal-based barrister on the telephone but had not, at that stage, made any contact with him.
As a result of this incident, it is claimed that Binchy's, the Dublin legal firm representing the McBrearty family, made a complaint to the Law Society. A complaint was also made to the Bar Library.
Last week, the Law Society wrote to the Garda Commissioner, Mr Pat Byrne, asking for an explanation. It suggested there was independent evidence to support its claim about telephone interceptions.
Mr Byrne has written back to the society asking for further information about the alleged tapping of telephones. He has also stated that he did not sanction any interception of the telephones of any person concerned with the Donegal investigation.
However, the legal firm and the Law Society are not, as yet, revealing what further evidence exists to support their claims. Binchy's issued a statement through a public relations agency on Monday, saying that it had received assurances from "reliable" sources that its phones had been tapped.
Yesterday, Magill further reported that other people concerned with the case also suspected their telephones were tapped. The magazine stated that another solicitor representing gardai in Donegal believes his telephone has been tapped, "albeit without official sanction". It added that others, including politicians, had also told the magazine that they suspected their telephones were tapped.
However, it also stated: "Some accept that there is a great deal of paranoia surrounding the case, which, in some instances, may give rise to unfounded suspicions."
Meanwhile, the Director of Public Prosecutions is still considering the evidence gathered by gardai as part of the internal investigation into allegations of illegal activity by gardai in Co Donegal.