Garda Síochána (Recording Devices) Bill 2022: Report and Final Stages
Seanad Éireann — 2023-11-08
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Lynn Ruane (IND), University of Dublin

My point relates to the reference to harmful effect in section 62 of Garda Síochána Act 2005. I was glancing through the legislation as the Minister was speaking. It states it is an offence to disclose information if the person knows its disclosure is likely to have a harmful effect. If I do not push these amendments, could we consider section 62 between now and when we come back to this and ascertain what actually constitutes a harmful effect and whether there is a loophole if somebody says he or she did not know the disclosure would have a harmful effect? People could find a way around the concept of harmful effect in a defence regarding the sharing of images. The sharing of the images should just be illegal; it should not be a case of whether a person knows sharing them would have a harmful effect. There is a clause-----

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Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/seanad/2023-11-08/debate/main
Retrieved: 2026-08-14T04:52:22+00:00
Sitting date: 2023-11-08