Noel Ahern (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail)
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Question 64: To ask the Minister for Justice and Law Reform if he will clarify the situation in relation to the development of a mapping system by a company (details supplied); if there are guidelines agreed between the company and the Department; if copy of same can be provided; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39588/10]

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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I wish to inform the Deputy that the Office of the Data Protection Commissioner has worked closely with Google to ensure that privacy concerns were addressed in advance of the launch date of their Street View technology.

In order to inform members of the public about the proposed mapping process, details of the movements of the company's camera cars were issued publicly and were available on a dedicated website. This was the first time such advance notification was provided anywhere in the world. While inevitably some images of people were captured as the camera-cars were driven on Irish streets, the company undertook to blur the faces of such people and also the number plates of any cars that may have been in the vicinity. This helped to eliminate most privacy concerns.

The Deputy might wish to note that anyone who considers that an image contains objectionable content raising concerns around privacy, inappropriate content or other matters has access to an easy to use facility, provided by Google, which will allow a person to request the removal of the image in question. Each image contains a link on the bottom left of the image window that allows a user to click through to a designated form in which the user can describe the problem under a range of headings and submit it for resolution. If the problem is not addressed in a prompt fashion, members of the public can then contact the Office of the Data Protection Commissioner with their concerns and that Office will ensure that the issue is resolved.

While the deployment of this leading edge technology has raised some concerns the many positive aspects of the technology should also be noted. For example, it is being used to showcase the beauty of Ireland to a global audience of potential visitors and to facilitate street level directions and views of useful facilities. Features of the technology are already being used by various Irish companies and agencies who have partnered with Google and it is likely that this trend will develop further over time. As one of the most open economies in the world the many benefits of such a technology for Ireland should not be underestimated in a world where individuals and companies increasingly use IT to access information prior to visiting destinations or making other important decisions.