Eileen Flynn (Independent) | Oireachtas source

Unfortunately, I was not able to be here last week due to not having a babysitter for the girls. To be watching the event at home with my child and to be part of our Parliament was brilliant. One could feel the vibe outside when President Biden was here. The Cathaoirleach's speech was incredible and we have much to be proud of, making it to news and other channels all over the world.

I have the height of respect for the Ministers, Deputies McEntee and Harris. I would have said that as Minister for Justice, the Minister, Deputy McEntee, was one of the best Ministers I have seen in my lifetime. I am disappointed that the Garda Síochána (Recording Devices) Bill 2022 seeks to bring in facial recognition. England brought it in and then banned it.Facial recognition technology can target people from minority groups. We saw such targeting with the PULSE system in 2014. Pavee Point did a lot of work around how Travellers were targeted in that system and how it does not work. I find it very disheartening and dishonest of the Government that it is just trying to squeeze something through as an amendment instead of having it in the Bill when it was introduced last May or when it was spoken about last August. This Bill deserves its own stand-alone scrutiny and to include the voice of the people, including those from minority groups and disadvantaged areas whose voices need to be heard. These are the people at the edges of society who are too often targeted by an Garda. I live and breathe in working-class communities. I am obviously from the Traveller community myself. It is only when you are reared, born and bred in these communities that you see the pressures on young people in places such as Ballyfermot and Tallaght. This technology could add more pressures to a young person who is black or is a Traveller from these areas.

The Irish Council for Civil Liberties currently has a petition calling for this amendment not to happen and for this matter to have its own stand-alone Bill. I understand the Bill is going to Committee Stage on 23 May. It our job as legislators and Senators to scrutinise the Bill to make sure it has the best interests of our people at its heart. Unfortunately, the Bill does not have our people's best interests at heart, especially those from working-class communities, the Traveller community and black people. We are not criminals and should not be targeted as such.

The proposed amendment of this Bill will do more harm than good for people in my community. There is nothing much the Leader can do about it but I urge Senators to object to this amendment the Government is looking to squeeze in, in a very sneaky way that should not be allowed to happen.