The Justice Minister says his department is working on legislation to allow Gardaí to give evidence in the District Court remotely.
Jim O’Callaghan says too much Garda time is spent in court rooms for the likes of routine, uncontested applications.
He also plans to free up more time for Gardaí by digitising documents such as bench warrants.
The legislation, he said, will enable digitisation and remote hearings at the district court level.
He was speaking at the graduation of 149 new gardaí at the Garda College in Templemore.
Mr O'Callaghan said there are too many gardaí at too many uncontested and routine cases when they would be better served policing the streets.
He said there was no need for so many garda turning up in court, and in cases, for example, where a person has breached their bail conditions, the garda should not have to go back to court to get a bench warrant.
He said this would "save time and get them out on the street".
"The Miscellaneous Provisions Bill will provide a basis for the remote hearing of all types of criminal proceedings," Mr O'Callaghan said.
"As such it has the potential to significantly reduce garda time and resources expended on conveying persons in their custody to the courts, along with garda time spent in the court itself."
The minister added that the new legislation will also contain "provisions around digitalisation of documents including bench warrants and charge sheets, which gardaí are currently required to produce in paper form and physically deliver to the courts."
