Patrick O'Donovan (Limerick County, Fine Gael)
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1286. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality further to Parliamentary Question No. 731 of 22 March 2022, if she will provide details of correspondence between her Department, the Data Protection Commission and Limerick City and County Council since she first became aware of the Limerick issue on 21 January 2022. [20309/22]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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As outlined to the Deputy in response to Parliamentary Question No. 731 of 22 March 2022, on 23 September 2020, the Data Protection Commission wrote to my Department indicating that there were problems with the administration of CCTV schemes across Ireland. There was no particular mention of schemes in County Limerick. In that letter, the DPC offered observations on the draft general scheme of the Garda Síochána (Digital Recording) Bill, which are currently being addressed.

The General Scheme of the Garda Síochána (Digital Recording) Bill was approved by the Government and published on 29 April 2021. The General Scheme was sent to the Office of Parliamentary Counsel for formal drafting, and drafting is continuing. It is the intention to publish the Bill in the second quarter of 2022 and to complete its passage through the Oireachtas later this year.

My Department first became aware of the particular problems in Limerick City and County on 21 January 2022, when the DPC forwarded its report to assist my Department in drafting the new Bill, and officials from my Department met with a representative of Limerick City and County Council in February 2022. I understand that the Council and the Garda authorities are taking steps to address the issues raised by the DPC with a view to ensuring continuity of the CCTV schemes.