Kathleen Lynch (Cork North Central, Labour)
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Question 97: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform when arrangements will be made to instruct members of the Garda Síochána that it is not necessary to take a longhand note of interviews with persons in custody when such interviews are being electronically recorded; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28359/10]

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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My Department and the Garda Síochána, in consultation with the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions and the Office of the Attorney General, have been considering proposals for a new system which would allow the taking of contemporaneous written notes to cease where interviews are electronically recorded. There is, however, a complex range of training, technological and legal issues to be addressed before any changeover to a new system could take place, and of course the financial implications would have to be carefully assessed. Because of the complexities involved, it is likely that any new system would initially be introduced on a pilot basis to allow all the operational and legal aspects to be fully tested and evaluated.

Following a recommendation made by the Morris Tribunal, I have established an Advisory Committee on Garda Interviewing of Suspects. The Honourable Mr Justice Edmond Smyth has kindly agreed to chair the committee. He brings to the Committee not only his considerable learning and expertise as a Judge of the High Court, but also the knowledge and experience as Chairperson of the Steering Committee on Audio Video Recording which oversaw the introduction of electronic recording of Garda interviews of suspects. The new Advisory Committee, which comprises representatives of the Attorney General, the Director of Public Prosecutions, the Irish Human Rights Commission, the Garda Síochána, the Bar Council, the Law Society and my Department, is currently considering the legal, technical and operational issues involved in moving to a new system of interviewing without contemporaneous notes. I will consider the views of the Advisory Committee on these matters before any pilot project is commenced.