asked the Minister for Justice if he will give details of the computer system being acquired for the Garda; and if he will institute appropriate mechanisms to ensure that misleading, inaccurate or libellous information about citizens will not be recorded on the system.

Up to now computer facilities for the Garda Síochána have been provided on the central computer operated by the Central Data Processing Service of the Department of the Public Service. What is now happening is that the Garda are being provided with their own computer which will be managed and operated by themselves and to which existing Garda systems will be transferred.

With regard to the second part of the question, the position it that Garda computer programmes merely provide a better and more efficient method of storing and retrieving the type of information that has always been available to the Garda in the form of conventional manual records. In the circumstances I do not see any need for, nor do I propose to introduce, the sort of mechanisms referred to.

Do the gardaí who are involved in transmitting information or data on to the computer have any kind of instructions or criteria in accordance with which information would be selected for inclusion?

The Garda decide what information goes on the computer. They put information on the computer which they already possess in their files, so that it will be more readily accessible to them to deal more efficiently with criminals.

Could such information include questions of opinion?

Of course. The Garda have on file their suspicions about certain criminals and these will be recorded by the Garda for their own use only.

A final supplementary, please.

Arising out of the statement that the central data processing unit is presently providing facilities for the Garda, what is the extent of Garda involvement in that existing unit and is there to be a transfer of staff to the new computer at headquarters?

The facilities available to the Garda in the computer field have been utilised by the Garda themselves for some time. They will now transfer the existing system to the new system and will add considerably to it with their own staff.

Does that mean that some of the existing staff are in fact gardaí?

Yes.

The remaining questions will appear on tomorrow's Order Paper.