Garda Síochána (Recording Devices) (Amendment) Bill 2025: Committee Stage
Seanad Éireann — 2026-06-10
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Joe Conway (IND), Cultural and Educational Panel

I will make a brief intervention here. I have some sympathy with Senator Ruane as regards the collateral damage that can be done to people with the possible misuse of this section 43C(1). I have great sympathy with what the Minister said as well. Sometimes these things are done in error or done through no fault and there is no malice in what has been done. Over countless decades past I have looked at situations where members of the Garda Síochána have been brought through the courts. Their career is effectively destroyed and their families decimated in morale and emotion because vexatious prosecutions were taken against members of the Garda. Taking all of those things into consideration, the reassurances of the Minister in relation to other sections of the Bill do give safeguards against this, so I would not be minded to support the amendment.

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Retrieved: 2026-08-14T04:55:02+00:00
Sitting date: 2026-06-10