The Department of Health has confirmed that field trials have begun on a new
contact tracing app, which is aimed at controlling the spread of Covid-19.
The Department said the trials are expected to last around two weeks.
Members of An Garda Síochána are being used for the field trial, as the
Department says they are one of the few groups who can currently move freely
around the country.
This will give a better idea of how the app would work across the country
the department says.
The app will use bluetooth technology and will work on a decentralised
system, where the information will be stored on a person's phone rather than
centrally by any government agency.
The information will be used as part of a large-scale testing and tracing
system for Covid-19.
People will be able to share a close contact their phone has saved and also
whether to share the symptoms they have recorded themselves on their phone.
The Department of Health says this will work on a triple layer of consent
where you can essentially download the app, you can choose to record
contacts or symptoms and then you can choose to share this information or
not.
The information would be used by the HSE to quickly trace contacts and map
and predict the spread of Covid-19 to others in the community in the phases
ahead.
The app is a collaboration between the Department of Health and the HSE who
say they have completed a programme of research to assist with the
development of the app and its role in contact tracing.
They say they have also used best practice guidelines as set out by the
World Health Organization and the European Centre for Disease Prevention and
Control.
Meanwhile, the Irish Council for Civil Liberties (ICCL) is reiterating its
call for the Government to provide "full transparency" on the new contact
tracing app.
Speaking on RTÉs News at One, Elizabeth Farries of the ICCL said an expert
group has yet to receive a response to this request, except an
acknowledgement of the request itself.
She said specific details should be made available so that independent
experts have the opportunity to review its workings to ensure that the app
respects human rights and privacy.
Up to now, the ESRI have also been gathering research from a small group of
people to see how user friendly the app is and how it will function.
Once the field trial phase is complete the HSE and the Department of Health
will look at the information gathered and see what changes need to be made.
At the same time, a data protection assessment of the app is being carried
out and this will be published before the app goes live.
The source code, which will give technical information about how exactly the
app will work and what information it will use, will also be published
before the app goes live.
Other research reports documenting the development of the app will also be
published.
There will also be a public information campaign, which will be run by the
HSE, to inform people of how the app will work, what technology it will use
and how the information will be used.
Website:
www.rte.ie/news
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