Neale Richmond (Dublin Rathdown, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Minister's response and look forward to the legislation coming to the Dáil very soon. I intend to elaborate on the issues to a greater extent on Second Stage and I hope there is an opportunity for a robust debate in the Houses, with support for the proposals from as many Deputies and Senators as possible.

There is a very important and clear need for a sound legislative basis, which the Minister has laid out in an amount of detail. I appreciate not just her commitment but that of the entire Government in this regard. I want to refer now to the practicalities. I was a little disappointed the last time this issue was discussed on the national airwaves that while there was an acknowledgement that progress has been made on providing a sound legislative basis, there was a scepticism about the ability to introduce the cameras once the legislation is passed. The Minister touched on this in her reply but will she elaborate on what thought has gone into the costings, tender applications, the roll-out of the equipment and, crucially, the provision of adequate training for members of An Garda Síochána and civilian staff to ensure they can use this equipment, as well as the footage captured by it, in a way that is efficient, is in line with the legislation and can achieve the genuine aims of its introduction? The intention, first and foremost, is to keep the members of An Garda Síochána and our citizens safe and to ensure there is a sounder basis of evidence when assaults and other matters go to trial. The Minister has outlined some of the extremely delicate matters in respect of which the introduction of body-worn cameras would be an asset both to the Garda and the victim as well as, crucially, to the overall judicial system.

She also referred to a code of practice for the use of body-worn cameras. It is vital that their introduction is accompanied by a thorough and comprehensive public information campaign to ensure people in communities know this is a new facet to our policing and that it absolutely is in their interest.

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