Written answers
Tuesday, 29 July 2025
Department of Justice and Equality
An Garda Síochána
Ciarán Ahern (Dublin South West, Labour)
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2083. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if An Garda Síochána can use footage captured by road users, including motorists and cyclists, using dash cameras or any similar video recording equipment in investigating traffic offences and road collisions; if so, is this discretionary; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43125/25]
Jim O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay South, Fianna Fail)
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I am informed by Garda authorities that members of the public can attend Garda Stations to make a complaint and provide video footage in support of their complaint. They will be required to make a statement and prove authenticity of the video footage and undertake to attend Court as a witness in the event of Court proceedings.
In future, it is planned to provide a technical online platform to enable members of the public to submit video evidence. This will require the development of a Digital Evidence Management System (DEMS) to store, manage and process any footage received. This system is also required to progress the implementation of body worn camera (BWC) technology in An Garda Síochána.
The project to introduce body worn cameras and DEMS to An Garda Síochána is underway, and Gardaí have been implementing a proof of concept deployment of cameras under the Garda Síochána (Recording Devices) Act 2023.
The proof of concept will provide learnings and be used as valuable operational input for the next and substantive stage of the project, which includes DEMS. This system, in addition to supporting the cameras, will support the use of an online portal to facilitate the uploading and submission of video footage to An Garda Síochána by the public. Garda authorities have envisaged that the portal will be developed across 2025-2026.
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