Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Tuesday, 21 September 2021

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality

General Scheme of the Garda Síochána (Digital Recording) Bill 2021: Discussion

Photo of Jennifer Carroll MacNeillJennifer Carroll MacNeill (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I agree there is a huge opportunity there because, as Mr. O'Connor has said, it can be such a difficult thing to get a report and to be able to gather evidence. So much of it is so nuanced and that is one of the difficulties that the organisation has in the context of training. The organisation has the capacity to use it for a specified purpose but there are issues around the protocol, how that is put together, the consultation involved, how often it is reviewed and by whom. These issues are important both in terms of the protection of privacy and also of efficacy. When the camera is switched on is important and that is about the judgment of the individual member. Of course, it is not the only place where that is supervised by the courts but there is clearly a way of working and I would like to hear the Department's perspective on that.

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