Last updated on October 1, 2025
Ireland’s Data Protection Commission (DPC) guidance and regulatory enforcement have set a high bar for public‑space facial recognition: deployments that process biometric data for identification generally require an exemption basis under law, full data‑protection impact assessments, demonstrable necessity and proportionality, strict retention limits and strong security controls; indiscriminate mass surveillance using FRT is regularly assessed as incompatible with fundamental data‑protection rights and may be subject to enforcement action. Public bodies planning FRT projects must consult the DPC early, publish DPIAs and legal bases, and provide transparent safeguards; private deployments used for marketing or retail identification face similar scrutiny and possible prohibition where consent is not freely given.
https://www.dataprotection.ie/en/news-media/press-releases/
5/16/2024