Gardaí in Co Galway are seeking new powers to make it possible to identify every mobile phone user, particularly those who use pay-as-you-go phones. They have received a number of complaints from people who have received disturbing text messages and abusive calls.
"We have come across some very distressed people who have been the constant victims of abusive calls and text messages but, unfortunately, there is nothing we can do for them at the moment," said a senior Garda spokesman.
The gardaí are concerned that pre-paid credit phones have been used in serious crimes as they cannot be traced.