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| DNA samples copied and held for Troubles investigations | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Copies of thousands of DNA and fingerprint samples are to be made to help with future investigations into crimes committed during the Troubles. | Copies of thousands of DNA and fingerprint samples are to be made to help with future investigations into crimes committed during the Troubles. |
| Under new EU legislation coming in this October, police are required to delete the genetic information of people who do not have convictions. | Under new EU legislation coming in this October, police are required to delete the genetic information of people who do not have convictions. |
| However, the Justice Minister said some samples would be copied to help the new Historical Investigations Unit (HIU). | However, the Justice Minister said some samples would be copied to help the new Historical Investigations Unit (HIU). |
| The unit was set up under the Stormont House Agreement last December. | The unit was set up under the Stormont House Agreement last December. |
| "Roughly half of the 33,000 samples which would otherwise have to be destroyed will be copied," David Ford said. | "Roughly half of the 33,000 samples which would otherwise have to be destroyed will be copied," David Ford said. |
| "It's clear that some of the data which is currently held might be of relevance to the HIU. | "It's clear that some of the data which is currently held might be of relevance to the HIU. |
| "There's little point in setting up a new investigative unit and then removing its opportunities." | "There's little point in setting up a new investigative unit and then removing its opportunities." |
| He said the actual samples that are held for the police will be destroyed, but digital copies will be made that will be accessible only by the HIU. | He said the actual samples that are held for the police will be destroyed, but digital copies will be made that will be accessible only by the HIU. |
| Mr Ford said he believed this was proportionate and met EU requirements. | Mr Ford said he believed this was proportionate and met EU requirements. |
| "What we've had to do is balance two provisions under the European Convention of Human Rights," he said. | "What we've had to do is balance two provisions under the European Convention of Human Rights," he said. |
| "The article eight provision - the right to a private life, which is the basis under which data is to be destroyed from those who haven't been convicted or those who have been convicted of minor offences after a certain period of time, against the article two obligations that we have to investigate in order to protect life. | "The article eight provision - the right to a private life, which is the basis under which data is to be destroyed from those who haven't been convicted or those who have been convicted of minor offences after a certain period of time, against the article two obligations that we have to investigate in order to protect life. |
| "I believe that this is the appropriate balance between those two measures." | "I believe that this is the appropriate balance between those two measures." |
| The DUP's Jeffrey Donaldson said the justice minister had made the right decision. | |
| "Article two of the European Convention requires the state to protect human life and I believe that the need to protect life is the first responsibility of any government and therefore it trumps the other rights," he said. | |
| "We have 3,000 unsolved murders connected to the Troubles in Northern Ireland and I think it would be very difficult for the Historical Investigations Unit to pursue investigations into those murders if it didn't have access to this bank of fingerprint and DNA evidence." | |
| The Historical Investigations Unit has not begun work as the Stormont House Agreement has yet to be implemented due to the impasse over welfare reform. | The Historical Investigations Unit has not begun work as the Stormont House Agreement has yet to be implemented due to the impasse over welfare reform. |