MINISTER FOR JUSTICE Simon Harris will today introduce legislation in the Dáil to allow for the use of body cameras by members of An Garda Síochána.
Harris said the Garda Síochána (Recording Devices) Bill 2022, which will be taken at second stage today, will “significantly strengthen the capacity of An Garda Síochána to tackle crime and protect national security.”
The Bill will allow for recording from body worn cameras, helicopters, aircraft, Garda dogs, drones, mobile devices and tablets.
It will also extend the powers governing Garda use of CCTV and Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) technology.
Minister Harris hopes to enact the Bill as soon as possible to allow Garda Commissioner Drew Harris to pilot the use of body-worn cameras later this year, prior to their widespread roll-out.
Under the Bill, body worn cameras must be visible on the clothing of Gardaí and have a light showing when they are recording.
The Bill is in line with the recommendations of the Commission on the Future of Policing in Ireland, which was published in 2019, and is a priority action in Justice Plan 2022.
It will also provide powers for Gardaí to access third party CCTV on a live-feed basis, subject to strict guidelines and oversight.
Minister Harris said:
“The Government is committed to building stronger, safer communities. This means providing An Garda Síochána with the tools to fight crime in a modern era and to protect our frontline Gardaí as they do their duty.”
“Policing services across the world have gained significant benefits from the introduction of these technologies and people will have seen their effective use in fighting and solving crime in other jurisdictions.
“I firmly believe that our Gardaí must have the same tools as their colleagues in police services across Europe and around the world.
“I am confident that body worn cameras will play an important role in improving Garda front-line capabilities and in ensuring the accurate recording of incidents.”
On the issue of Automatic Number Plate Recognition Data, Harris said it is important for Gardaí to be able to access ANPR Data from the cameras of organisations who are already operating ANPR cameras at strategic locations in the State.
The initial bodies that are to be included are the National Roads Authority (motorway cameras), DAA (Dublin and Cork Airport ANPR cameras) and Dublin Port.
Minister Harris said he expects strong support from across the House for this key piece of legislation, with contains a series of provisions to protect frontline members of An Garda Síochána and help them tackle crime.
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