The authorities in Ireland were warned in advance that Irish citizens travelling in their thousands would be scanned using live facial recognition technology at the Welsh port of Holyhead, it has emerged.
Minister for Justice Jim O'Callaghan confirmed that UK immigration officers informed his department about the facial recognition technology trial.
As of last week, UK immigration enforcement officers had scanned passengers using the main central Irish Sea route from Dublin Port when transiting through the port on Anglesey, which is the UK's second-busiest ferry port.
The use of the technology followed an earlier trial run of the new system in November 2025, when officers scanned over 7,500 faces over a six-day period. This led to the arrest of an individual.
According to the Belfast-based The Detail, which led an investigation, it has also found that the cost of that surveillance scanning operation was £50,000 (€57,000).
The latest data from the most recent operation, for February 2026, has yet to be released.
In response, the trial has led to concern among civil liberties groups, as they say the rapid expansion of live facial recognition technology risks enabling mass surveillance. In addition, they claim the use of such technology would lead to discriminatory policing.
The Irish Times has more on this development.
