Niall Collins (Limerick, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I move:

That leave be granted to introduce a Bill entitled an Act to provide for the amendment of the Roads Act 1993 in order to install closed circuit television cameras at motorway junctions for use by An Garda Síochána.

The purpose of this Bill to help the authorities in the battle against criminality, a battle which is raging up and down the country in every community, both rural and rural. There has been much discussion and many public meetings in communities on the problem of burglaries. We have received a response from the Government which is far from adequate. While some of the measures announced are welcome, some do not go far enough.

This legislation proposes the National Roads Authority provide proper CCTV coverage of junctions in the major road networks. Recently, An Garda Síochána was mandated and resourced to purchase high powered vehicles to patrol and police motorways. We know from Garda intelligence that the motorways are being used by roving criminal gangs to travel from Dublin city to remote and isolated rural parts of the country to engage in crime, theft and burglary. The provision of CCTV cameras at motorway junctions would be a major asset in curbing and detecting crime. We know that the motorways are so well patrolled, they could be picked up in time.

In addition to the provision of CCTV cameras, there are other measures which we have previously introduced in this House. Fianna Fáil believes the strength of An Garda Síochána should be brought back up to 14,000. It is currently languishing below 12,500. Quite simply, the Government has kept the moratorium on recruitment in place for far too long.

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