44. (1) The Authority may approve cameras, CCTV or other apparatus to be set up and operated at specified locations by or on behalf of the Authority or by a person appointed under a service agreement at appointed stands or, with the consent of the Garda Commissioner, at other specified locations, to facilitate—

(a) the monitoring of persons—

(i) standing for hire at appointed stands with a taxi to ensure compliance with Part 3, and

(ii) using vehicles, other than taxis, to ensure they are not standing for hire from those stands,

and

(b) the detection and monitoring of offences involving small public service vehicles at appointed stands or other locations.

(2) Amongst other matters specified in the approval under subsection (1), cameras, CCTV and other apparatus set up under that subsection may—

(a) record the date and time of any alleged contravention of or failure to comply with Part 3 or any incident occurring at an appointed stand or other location, and

(b) take photographic or video images of a vehicle, its identification mark, taxi licence number and other means of identification.

(3) The Authority may specify on its website available to the public the appointed stands it has set up, or where it is considering setting up cameras, CCTV or other apparatus referred to in subsection (1).

(4) A document signed by an officer of the Authority (authorised in that behalf by the Authority) stating that a mechanically propelled vehicle in respect of which proceedings are taken together with any photographic or other evidence taken from a camera, CCTV or other apparatus referred to in subsection (1) of the identification mark or taxi licence number of the vehicle taken at the material time may, without proof of the signature of the officer or that the photographic or other evidence is from a camera, CCTV or other apparatus referred to in that subsection, be produced in any court and in all legal proceedings and is, until the contrary is shown, evidence of an offence under this Act. It shall not be necessary to show that the camera, CCTV or other apparatus was accurate or in good working order, unless the contrary is shown.

(5) The Garda Commissioner may, upon a request to the Authority, have access to CCTV or other apparatus set up under this section and any record, photograph or video image contained in such.

(6) In this section—

“CCTV” means closed-circuit television, being any fixed system employing optical devices for recording images of events occurring at or near appointed stands;

“operated” in relation to any camera, CCTV or other apparatus, includes the procurement, installation, maintenance and monitoring of such.