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

To finish my last point and touch on the Deputy's next point, the legislation needs to be updated due to the fact that the Act dates from 2005 and we have since had European GDPR legislation that supersedes the previous Act. That is why I am working to try to make sure that the digital recording Bill is brought forward as quickly as possible. I hope to be able to bring it to colleagues in a matter of weeks, and we can then progress that as quickly as possible. Part of that is the ANPR legislation around number plate recognition, which would allow gardaí, in certain circumstances, to take that type of data and information, which is extremely helpful not just in terms of road traffic incidents but also in cases where people are fleeing the scene of a crime and would be helpful to be able to upload that information.

With regard to the link between local authorities and gardaí, we are trying to set out greater clarity around the role played by each in the legislation. That is something that has prevented some communities from putting forward requests for local CCTV. At the same time, I stress that we cannot just put up cameras anywhere. There always has to be collaboration with gardaí. We all have a right to privacy and to make sure that there is not a camera outside our front door. Cameras are in place for a specific and strategic reason. That corroboration and collaboration will be set out clearly in the legislation. It is to be hoped it will encourage more people to avail of these types of scheme.

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