Sinn Féin TD, Mr Arthur Morgan, has expressed dismay at the refusal of the Minister for Justice, Mr McDowell, to confirm that Oireachtas members are not having their phones tapped.
In a written reply to Dáil question from the Louth TD, Mr McDowell said it would not be in the public interest to disclose the information.
He said the Interception of Postal Packages and Telecommunications Act 1993 provides for the judicial oversight of the tapping of communications and that a High Court judge has "consistenetly confirmed in reports made available to the Oireachtas the interceptions that have taken place have been in accordance with the Act".
"It is not the practice, and it would be contrary to the public interest, to disclose if an authorisation to intercept has or has not been given in any particular case," Mr McDowell said.
Mr Morgan told ireland.comtoday that he tabled the question because of continuing revelations about British security forces spying activities.
"After all the revelations of the past week and the exposure of ongoing operations from Britain's dirty tricks department I think the Minister must immediately assure the Irish public that he and his Government aren't up to the same sort of tricks," Mr Morgan said today.
"The answer I received from the Minister for Justice today is both unacceptable and contradictory. It would seem more worthy of some British MoD wordsmith.
"Of course it is in the public's interest to know if their private telephone conversations with their public representatives are being listened to or not.
"What we are dealing with here is often very private and personal matters."
The news comes less than a month after it was revealed that Oireachtas members had their mail opened by the Garda. The matter has been referred to the Dáil Committee on Procedures and Privileges.