Transcripts

SFAIK, only if the parties want it, and pay for it. I think it would be unusual.

OK, sorry. Bit of confusion there. An audio recording is not a "transcript"; a transcript is a written document, created either from shorthand notes that were made as the proceedings went on, or from an audio recording. The audit recording of proceedings in Irish courts is usually called the "DAR recording". (If I ever knew what DAR stands for, I have forgotten.)

As a matter of law, the court service may make an DAR recording of court proceedings, but it's not required. As a matter of practice, DAR recording of court proceedings is routine unless, e.g. the proceedings are held somewhere where recording equipment has not been installed (which would happen, but not often) or there is some technical problem. In an individual case the judge can direct that a DAR recording must be made, or that it must not. Usually, there is no direction either way.

If a DAR recording exists, access for the parties to a copy of the audio or a hard-copy transcript is at the discretion of the judge. If you are granted access, there will be a fee to be paid.

So, in camera proceedings: there are no special rules. We've no way of knowing whether judges, or some judges, routinely direct that they not be recorded (to avoid a risk to the confidentiality of the proceedings) but I doubt that they do; it's useful for internal purposes to have the DAR recording. But I would imagine that applications for access to the recording, or transcripts of it, are very carefully assessed, since giving out copies or transcripts obviously does create a risk to confidentiality.

So a DAR recording is a Digital Audio Recording recording, like an ATM machine, PIN numbers and the HIV virus?