A new report has recommended the introduction of video conferencing to help make the Irish court system more efficient.
The Committee on Video Conferencing in the Courts made 14 recommendations, including the introduction of a pilot programme in five courts and four prisons. Using video conferencing would eliminate the need to transport prisoners to and from the court, and would be particularly suited to bail and pre-trial hearings.
This would lead to a reduction in inmate transportation costs, eliminating security risks when transporting prisoners and allowing prisoners to be released more quicly after a court hearing.
The first video conferencing facilities are expected to be ready by early next year.
Cabling for video conferencing has been installed in several newly refurbished courthouses, such as those in Cork, Ennis and Castlebar. However, the report said there would be a 'substantial cost' to equip more than 20 county courthouses with the technology, as well as 22 court rooms in the planned new Central Criminal Court in Dublin.
The courts system has used an internal video-link system for the past eight years to allow vulnerable witnesses, such as children involved in sexual assault cases, to give evidence remotely. The report said the technology was `outdated and unreliable' and should be replaced.
Fine Gael's justice spokesman, Mr Jim O'Keefe, welcomed the report's findings and urged the Government to implement the recommendations for pilot projects as soon as possible.
"If the report is implemented in full it will significantly reduce costs and improve efficiency at courthouses and prisons around the country," he said.
"There are numerous advantages to be gained from installing video conferencing facilities at our courthouses, which will improve security, save valuable court time, and improve working conditions for court staff, prison officers, and Gardaí.
"Video conferencing has already been implemented in the court systems of many other countries where it has been an enormous success," Mr O'Keefe said.
Work has already begun on building video conferencing facilities and private booths in Cloverhill Prison, one of the sites recommended for the pilot programme, and in offices of the Law Society, Law Library and in a number of city centre solicitors' offices.