Michael D Higgins (Galway West, Labour)
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Question 21: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if his attention has been drawn to the recent caution from the Court of Criminal Appeal to gardaí concerning the importance of electronic taping of interviews with suspects in serious criminal cases; the number of Garda stations now equipped with video and audio taping equipment; the proportion of interviews conducted by the gardaí which is taped; his plans for the extension of such facilities to all Garda stations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16120/05]

Michael McDowell (Dublin South East, Progressive Democrats)
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I am aware of the matter referred to by the Deputy and of the strong views expressed by the Court of Criminal Appeal on the desirability of recording interviews with suspects in custody.

The view of the court is very much at one with the conclusions reached by the steering committee on audio and audio-video recording of Garda questioning of detained persons in its latest report. The report, which I laid before the Houses and made public, concluded that the committee was strongly of the view that all interviews as specified in the regulations be recorded, subject to the specific exceptions provided for in these regulations.

That said, the committee noted the very high rate of audio-video recording of interviews by the gardaí, 96% of the total, during the period January to November 2003. I am informed by the Garda authorities that a recently conducted survey indicates that figure has been increased to 98.1%.

I am also informed by the Garda authorities that a total of 130 Garda stations have the necessary recording equipment and are in use. Arising from the committee's report, I understand from the Garda authorities that a working group is examining the extension of these facilities to other Garda stations.