The Fennelly report has found that no criminal cases were affected by the recording of telephone calls at Garda stations.

The DPP was asked to review 151 cases that could have been affected, but the DPP has said that the recording of calls didn't have any impact on these.

The Commission found that, in most cases, when the calls were of a sensitive nature they were transferred to a different phoneline and recordings were stopped.

It has suggested that the Attorney General Maire Whelan raised undue alarm about the whole issue within the government which ultimately saw Garda Commissioner Martin Callinan retire.

However in the case of Ian Bailey - who was charged with the murder of Sophie Toscan du Plantier - the Commission found that there was some improper conduct with regard to his telephone calls but it's stopped short of saying there was any criminal intent.

It's said one of the most surprising findings was the almost total ignorance at the highest levels of the force of that the main number of the stations was being recorded.

The Deptartment of justice agreed to the purchase of the new equipment in 1995 but never thought to examine if gardai were legally allowed to record conversations.

When the Chief Superintendent of IT and communications signed off on the new system he didn't understand that it would record the main line phone line - something the Commission found that he should have asked.

Technicians also expressed surprise when they were installing the systems about Gardaí's lack of knowledge but nothing was done.

The Commission also found that there was no guidance for how long Gardaí should keep the tapes or what should be recorded or any clear policy statement at all - which the Commission described as unfortunate.

However it found that most Gardai instinctively knew what conversations should remain private and that while people's rights were infringed, there was no intent.

It's also recommended that while the practice was not technically illegal - legislation could be passed to give it a legal basis.

It's also said that recording phone calls is good practice and should be continued.

Social Protection Minister Leo Varadkar says it's reassuring that the report has found recordings were not misused: