Brendan Ryan (Labour)

Some of my more civil libertarian allies have reservations over CCTV. Indeed, some of them had reservations over the use of CCTV for traffic control purposes. They got worked up because some of the cameras had zoom lenses which, they suggested, meant that everybody could be watched. I do not share those views. It is foolish not to use modern technology to defend the rights of ordinary citizens. Modern technology must be regarded as such.

I have a series of questions for the Minister on this matter. Does he not think that it is somewhat centralising to give this authority to the Garda Commissioner? For example, subsection (2) notes that the Garda Commissioner shall specify the areas. It is a little ludicrous that the Garda Commissioner in the Phoenix Park should decide which streets in, for example, Montenotte, where I live, should have it.