Google cameras are capturing the images for a new map that will offer street views of Ireland.
Cars are out on the streets of Ireland taking photographs of houses, businesses, and people, which will all form a new Google Maps street view of the country.
They are out on the streets of Ireland snapping everything in their paths.
Google Street View is already up and running in the United States, Australia and other parts of Europe. As work begins on documenting Ireland's streets, it will be around a year before the service becomes available for Irish Google Maps users.
The pictures once put together will end up as a virtual online map.
Marie Boran of Silicon Republic describes what users can expect from the virtual street view.
Providing this service has not been entirely plain sailing for Google who received over two hundred complaints from people whose images had turned up online. This has raised some serious privacy issues for the search engine giant which has been forced to take down some of the images.
Paula Mullooly Solicitor and Privacy Law Specialist highlights some of the sensitivities surrounding the privacy complaints.
Speaking to shoppers on Dublin's Grafton Street, RTÉ News asked them how they would feel about being immortalised on Google's Street View.
I don't think I'm into that. It sounds a bit invasive of your privacy.
Google has introduced measures to reassure people that faces and car registration numbers would be blurred and if your image slips through the net, they'll be glad to take it down.
An RTÉ News report broadcast on 25 March 2009. The reporter is Sharon Tobin.
