Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

In Justice Plan 2021 I committed to introducing legislation to provide for the introduction of body-worn cameras, in line with the recommendation of the Commission on the Future of Policing in Ireland to which the Deputy refers. The commission in its report stated that policing organisations around the world have found that such devices can help improve front-line capability with the accurate recording of incidents, as well as expediting analysis, enhancing situational awareness and sometimes protecting police from harm.

In April 2021, I secured Government agreement to publish the general scheme of the Garda Síochána (digital recording) Bill 2021. The Bill has three purposes: first, to provide a legal basis for the deployment and use of body-worn cameras by An Garda Síochána; second, to provide for the extension of the circumstances in which CCTV may be authorised, taking account of the general data protection regulation, GDPR, and the law enforcement directive; and, third, to provide an updated legal basis for the deployment of automatic number plate recognition technology by An Garda Síochána.

My Department has engaged extensively with An Garda Síochána, the Garda oversight bodies and strategic partners during the preparation of the general scheme, as well as the Office of the Data Protection Commissioner, the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission and the Irish Council for Civil Liberties, ICCL. Following Government approval, the general scheme was sent to the Office of the Parliamentary Counsel for formal drafting. That drafting is continuing at this stage. The general scheme was also submitted to the Oireachtas Committee on Justice for pre-legislative scrutiny. The report of the committee was received in December 2021 and is currently being examined by officials in my Department.

This legislation is a significant priority for me and my Department, as I know it is for the Deputy. I am working intensively with the Attorney General to ensure the Bill can be published by the end of March. I hope that, when complete, it will pass through the Oireachtas as soon as possible. I hope it can be enacted later this year.

Although it is not an excessively long Bill, I am aware the issues that need to be addressed, such as privacy rights and data protection, are particularly complex. That is why we are making sure we get things right. All use of recording devices under the legislation is linked to Garda functions, namely, the investigation, detection, prevention and prosecution of criminal offences, public order and public safety, and safeguarding the security of the State.

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