Our Story

1975

Forensic Science Laboratory established with 3 staff members and located in Earlsfort Terrace, Dublin 2.

1977

Misuse of Drugs Act, 1977 enacted, the first drugs legislation in Ireland. This included controls relating to
cultivation, licensing, possession and supply of
drugs and established the associated
offences and penalties

1978

Forensic Science Laboratory moved to
Garda Headquarters, Phoenix Park.

1980

Drug analysis begins in the Forensic Science Laboratory.

1982

Laboratory Director Dr James Donovan seriously injured after bomb exploded under his car outside his home.

Martin Cahill (“The General”) was later identified as being behind the assassination attempt although nobody was ever convicted.

1984

Misuse of Drugs Act, 1984 enacted, widening the scope of the legislation to allow the issue of certificates of analysis under S10 MDA 1984 for use in court proceedings. This meant that certificates could be read directly into the book of evidence, reducing the number of reports to be “defended” in court.

Purchase of first Mass Spectrometer for use in drug analysis

1985

Three distinct sections were established in the laboratory:

Drugs
Chemistry
Biology.

1990

Criminal Justice (Forensic Evidence) Act, 1990 enacted to amend and extend the law to authorise the taking of bodily samples for forensic testing from persons suspected of certain criminal offences.

1993

First use of DNA evidence in a criminal trial in Ireland, in the conviction of Mark Lawlor for the murder of Rose Farrelly. DNA analysis was carried out in the UK.

1994

DNA profiling started in-house in Forensic Science Laboratory

1995

Forensic Science Laboratory one of the founding members of the European Network of Forensic Science Institutes (ENFSI).

1997

Sampling policy in Drugs Section introduced as the volume of drug submissions meant it was no longer feasible to analyse every sample in every case.

First STR DNA profiling system introduced (SGM), providing greater discriminating power.

1999

Criminal Justice Act, 1999 amended the MDA 1977 to introduce the Section 15A offence relating to the possession of drugs with a value of €12,700 or more, for the purpose of sale or supply. The Act provided a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison and a person found guilty could be imprisoned for up to life and be subject to an unlimited fine.

2000

SGM+ DNA profiling system introduced.

First Deputy Director position created in the laboratory.

2002

Dr James (Jim) Donovan retired as first Director of the Forensic Science Laboratory.

INAB accreditation to ISO 17025 standard achieved. This international standard contains requirements for the competence of testing and calibration laboratories.

2003

Report published by the Law Reform Commission recommending the establishment of a DNA Database.

2004

Staff celebrate 25 years in the Forensic Science Laboratory.

2007

Kopp Report issued, following a review of resource requirements in the Forensic Science Laboratory and the wider scientific context in Ireland by Professor Ingvar Kopp. The study concluded that resource limitations had implications for crime control and law enforcement.

2010

The Criminal Justice (Psychoactive Substances) Act, 2010 was enacted, covering substances not specifically included in the Misuse of Drugs Acts but which have psychoactive effects.

2006-2010 had seen proliferation of “Head Shops” selling products labelled “not for human consumption”, and the introduction of this legislation significantly reduced
the NPS (novel psychoactive substance) seizures
submitted to the laboratory.

2012

NGM STR DNA profiling system introduced.

CODIS DNA database software introduced.

DPP v Bederev. A decision by the Court of Appeal that the Misuse of Drugs Act violated Article 15.2.1 of the Constitution resulted in a number of psychoactive drugs being legalised for 24 hours in Ireland while legislation was enacted.

2014

Criminal Justice (Forensic Evidence and DNA Database System) Act, 2014 signed by the President. Under this act, FSI is named as the custodian of the database and our name was changed from Forensic Science Laboratory to Forensic Science Ireland to recognise this broader remit.

2015

DNA Database protocols drawn up with AGS, GSOC, IYJS and IPS. The DNA database would provide an important tool for the identification of unknown DNA profiles in both criminal and identification cases. The first profile was added to the Database in November 2015.