Garda Síochána (Recording Devices) (Amendment) Bill 2025: Committee Stage
Seanad Éireann — 2026-06-10
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Joanne Collins (SF), Agricultural Panel

I move amendment No. 4:
In page 6, after line 40, to insert the following:
"(3A) A member of An Garda Síochána shall not deploy biometric analysis unless authorised in advance by a member of An Garda Síochána not below the rank of Chief Superintendent, who shall record in writing the grounds of necessity and proportionality for such deployment.".
This amendment seeks to ensure that there are safeguards in terms of how this technology is used and that there is no overreach by ensuring the deployment of biometric analysis must be authorised in advance by a member of An Garda Síochána not below the rank of superintendent. We know that Gardaí have faced disciplinary procedures for the misuse of the PULSE system in the past, including the horrendous case in which a former garda was jailed in July for inciting strangers to rape a colleague. That individual pleaded guilty to the unauthorised disclosure of Garda PULSE personal data of 14 individuals. While it is important to say that these misuses related to a very small minority within An Garda Síochána, the experience of that misuse of the PULSE system reinforces the need to ensure proper protections are in place to ensure that these technologies are only used where appropriate, properly authorised and necessary for the investigation of serious crimes. I believe it is appropriate to set at least the level of superintendent to be able to authorise this.

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Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/seanad/2026-06-10/debate/main
Retrieved: 2026-08-14T04:55:02+00:00
Sitting date: 2026-06-10