Barry Ward (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I am not sure who is the most appropriate person to direct my next question to, which relates to the retention of data and the period of time for which it can be retained. The first issue in that context relates to subhead 5 of head 6 which refers to an offence of manipulating or otherwise destroying evidence. We do not yet have the detail as to what will be defined as evidence but we cannot have a situation where the data gathered from these cameras is kept forever. I do not think anybody intends that to be the case, notwithstanding the points that were made earlier about it making sense to keep certain data for long periods but what provision is there in that regard? In the Bill at the moment there does not seem to be a provision for the deletion of data.

Would that constitute destruction, which would be an offence under subhead (5) of head 6? How will we include in the Bill that there is a power for the data controller, in this instance, to delete data over time? Second, what are the protocols that we will put in place - this may not have been envisaged yet - for governing the responsibilities An Garda Síochána, or other agencies, have for deciding when the appropriate time is to delete data? How will we arrive at that decision?