Justice minister Michael McDowell promised legislation establishing Ireland's first DNA database by this summer, but a justice spokesman this weekend said it will now be published "later this year".

Against the advice of the Law Reform Commission (LRC), McDowell decided that those arrested on suspicion of a serious crime, but not convicted, would be forced to give a DNA sample which would be kept on the database indefinitely. The LRC had recommended that, due to human rights concerns, these samples should be destroyed after a few years.

In addition to keeping samples from those arrested for serious crimes attracting a sentence of five years or more, McDowell also wants samples taken from those charged with lesser offences such as indecency and underage sex.

But now Dr Willis, whose laboratory will operate the database, has pointed out that even this number of entries will come nowhere near the UK's DNA database, which is recognised internationally as highly effective in catching criminals.

"It is a matter for society, not the laboratory, to decide who should be forced to give a DNA sample, but the more people on the database the greater the possibility of a match, " Willis told the Sunday Tribune.

Willis estimates that a maximum of 60,000 people, or 1.5% of the population, will end up on the Irish database.

The UK, by contrast, has over three million, or 4.5% of the population, on its database, more than three times what Ireland can expect, Willis said.

In the UK, people arrested under almost any charge have to give a DNA sample which is then permanently added to the database.

"UK forensic scientists now believe that, at three million, it has achieved the critical mass which will make a difference in solving serious crimes, " said Willis.

The forensic scientist also warned that the laboratory's IT system will have to be linked up with the gardai's Pulse computer system.

Despite efforts to address the problem, the two systems are currently incompatible, and information has to be inputted twice.

IT consultants are now working on a programme to make the systems compatible, which will be critical for the success of the new database, Willis said.

She said that the laboratory would need additional resources, as well as "a lot more" than its current 70strong staff. And she also stressed the urgent need for a new premises, saying that the current premises at Garda HQ in the Phoenix Park is not adequate.

A justice department spokesman has confirmed that work is "well advanced on a new, modern state-ofthe-art laboratory" which will be housed in the Garda HQ.