Garda Síochána (Recording Devices) (Amendment) Bill 2025: Report and Final Stages
Dail Éireann — 2026-05-13
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Alan Kelly (LAB), Tipperary North

I move amendment No. 5:
In page 8, between lines 15 and 16, to insert the following:
“(ab) contravenes section 43C(1);”.
The Bill is drafted on the basis that what is not permitted remains prohibited. Checking a person's image against a database of images seems to remain prohibited. It seems the only way to emphasise this is to make it an offence. The Bill already criminalises falsifying, concealing or destroying information obtained by biometric analysis. It does not, however, state that a contravention of the Bill itself is an offence. The purpose of this amendment to make it an offence without lawful authority or reasonable excuse knowingly to contravene section 43C(1), which states: "A member of Garda personnel shall not carry out biometric analysis other than in accordance with this Part and any applicable code of practice."
The last time we spoke on this, the Minister said he would look at it and consider it. I await his response.

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Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/dail/2026-05-13/debate/main
Retrieved: 2026-09-14T01:01:03+00:00
Sitting date: 2026-05-13