Ms Maeve-Anne Kenny:

There have been some changes made to the CCTV provisions under this proposed legislation that will make significant changes for community groups from what is currently provided under section 38 of the Garda Síochána Act. Due to some of the concerns raised in relation to monitoring arrangements and access arrangements for local community groups, which the Deputy also highlighted, and the issue of confusion over who is the appropriate data controller, we have had a rethink about community CCTV.

The new legislation will stipulate that local authorities alone will make an application for authorisation to Garda Commissioner and that community groups will not, therefore, have a role in monitoring or accessing footage from CCTV. That is not to say that there is no role for communities in the provision or application for CCTVs in their communities. Certainly, the Minister has committed to carrying out a review of CCTV, in tangent with the drafting of this Bill, to ensure that community voices can adequately be reflected in the new arrangements for community CCTV under the draft law.