Sir, – I see that Simon Harris is vigorously pushing for the introduction of facial recognition technology as a “piggy-back” on the forthcoming Bill to allow for the use of Garda body cameras (“Oireachtas committee wants to scrutinise use of facial recognition technology by gardaí”, News, April 6th). I believe that this move will greatly interfere with the privacy rights of the vast majority of Irish citizens, who are not criminals.
A spokesman for Mr Harris said that the technology will greatly assist the Garda as an “evidence management tool”.
It appears that Mr Harris is prepared to sacrifice the freedoms and rights to privacy of the entire Irish population in order to satisfy the investigative preferences of the Garda in managing evidence.
I commend the members of the Oireachtas Justice Committee who are challenging this proposal on behalf of all law-abiding Irish citizens.
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This proposal need to be resisted. – Yours, etc,
ROBERT P GOGAN,
Kilbeggan,
Co Westmeath.
