Vol. 506 No. 2
52 Mr. Gilmore asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the number of Garda stations equipped to carry out electronic recording of interviews as provided for in the Criminal Justice Act, 1984; when this facility will be made generally available; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15377/99]
A pilot scheme on the use of audio and audio-video recording of Garda questioning of detained persons has been in progress in six selected Garda stations, namely, Tallaght, Dublin; Portlaoise; Bridewell, Dublin; Bridewell, Cork; Mill Street, Galway; and Henry Street, Limerick, Garda stations.
The pilot trials have been overseen by a steering committee chaired by Mr. Justice Esmond Smyth, President of the Circuit Court, and have been operating under the terms of the Criminal Justice Act, 1984 (Electronic Recording of Interviews) Regulations, 1997.
I am pleased to inform the Deputy that the steering committee recently presented a report to me, in which a nationwide scheme of audio-video recording is proposed.
I have given full and careful consideration to this report and its recommendations, and I intend to bring detailed proposals to Government on the matter in the coming weeks. The Deputy will appreciate that until such time as the Government has first had an opportunity to examine the report, it would not be appropriate for me to go into further details at this stage.
