I ask the Tánaiste about facial recognition technology. Although I disagree, I understand why the Garda Commissioner would want to fast track such a technology. However, one would also have to appreciate why civil liberties groups are urging us to tread very cautiously when it comes to introducing one of the most privacy-intrusive tools in the history of policing in this State without a comprehensive public consultation and proper pre-legislative scrutiny. This runs entirely contrary to good parliamentary practice. Does the Tánaiste agree with the Minister for Justice, Deputy Harris, who recently said he is at the end of his tether with those who wish to protect our privacy laws and those who to engage in parliamentary debate or can we have pre-legislative scrutiny? We cannot fast-track this important measure through with an amendment.

I respect the Deputy's perspective on this and people are entitled to have different positions. I support the initiative to facilitate facial recognition, in respect of certain areas such as child sexual abuse, for example, where its use could mean getting to a perpetrator early to intervene or in a murder case or for the prevention a crime, but not to be used wholesale. There is no proposal to use it on a broad basis or to take a wholesale approach. There is always a balance in trusting our gardaí too. They are dealing more and more with sophisticated criminals who are also using technology. To a large extent, one could argue some of the criminal gangs are ahead of police forces globally. Technology is advancing and this poses real challenges to us. We should always seek to use technology for the public good and for the benefit of our public and our citizens. That is the motivation behind the Minister of Justice's admission, which I support. I accept the different perspectives people have, which are valid.