International Protection Bill 2026: Report and Final Stages
Seanad Éireann — 2026-03-25
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Lynn Ruane (IND), University of Dublin

Human rights concerns are constantly being raised about the use of facial recognition in any area, let alone in relation to international protection. We need to remember that other Bills also intersect with this. The digital omnibus regulation is on the way. This will completely debase not only the transparency, but also the datasets on which biometric analysis is used to train AI systems. Coming through an international protection or asylum process, a person is not really going to assert their rights to not have their biometric data or facial recognition data used for identification or profiling purposes. I hope not, but that is what will happen in terms of the level of data. The digital omnibus regulation creates wider exemptions in which biometric analysis can be used. Obviously, that is extremely concerning when we think of what Senator Higgins said about the high risk of the misidentification of black faces and also the dangers to children in terms of what happens to that data. The other legislation that this intersects with matters in terms of people's rights around their data and facial recognition technology.
The recording devices legislation is also en route . Regarding this, we have asked in the justice committee a number of times of An Garda Síochána how the Garda Síochána (Recording Devices) (Amendment) Bill is going to be used as regards facial recognition technology. In the last meeting of the committee, I provided several scenarios to An Garda Síochána and asked if they were what would constitute facial recognition technology in terms of biometric analysis. The Garda, which will have the role of implementing the Bill, cannot confirm how facial recognition technology will be used. There are human rights concerns at a larger scale about how facial recognition is used and how data is stored and used for the training of AI or for the profiling or surveillance of people across not only Ireland, but Europe as well. There is also a concern about how we understand facial recognition to work. If those in the Garda cannot say how recording devices, facial recognition and biometric analysis will be used under the Bill, how are immigration officers, who we do not know who they are, expected to use this legislation in respect of facial recognition technology?
I echo everything that Senator Higgins said. I know that the advocacy bodies have said that facial recognition for age verification should only be used as a last resort. I would suggest that it should not be used at all. If it is used, what happens when that child turns 18? Does the biometric data on the child continue to be stored or is it wiped?

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Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/seanad/2026-03-25/debate/main
Retrieved: 2026-08-14T04:54:46+00:00
Sitting date: 2026-03-25