Stations were fitted out with recording system 6 years ago

Garda chiefs shelled out more than half-a-million euro for a state-of-the-art digital recording system to be placed in 21 stations around the country six years ago.

Official records reveal a company called Sigma Wireless Ltd, of Finglas, north Dublin, was awarded the lucrative contract to install the technology.

The 24-hours, seven-days-a-week system includes recording, playback and archive capabilities — all linked to a central archive at Garda headquarters.