David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I reiterate that it is a long-standing statutory requirement that any proposal for a community CCTV scheme must, among other legal requirements, have the prior support of the relevant local authority. That is a must. It must also act as data controller. This requirement is set out in the Garda Síochána (CCTV) Order 2006 and applies to all community CCTV schemes, regardless of how they are funded. The Minister has indicated that he considers it important that communities are able to make decisions to enhance their own sense of security. Community CCTV schemes are one way in which communities choose to do this. With Garda approval and local authority co-operation, communities can play a real role in making themselves feel safer and be safer. We are confident that the guidance issued recently by the Office of the Data Protection Commissioner regarding data protection and CCTV will be very helpful to all concerned, as the Deputy has outlined, and particularly to local authorities as they carry out their role. The Minister has asked me to put on record his thanks to local authorities that have supported such schemes and to assure them that his officials are doing all they can to further streamline and simplify the process. Officials in the Department of Justice and Equality are available to provide initial guidance on the application process for grant aid and I encourage the Deputy and other colleagues to join the Minister and me in encouraging interested groups to take advantage of the scheme. I will bring back the request that the Deputy has made to the Department and the Minister. Only three local authorities have not signed up to this. They probably have their own reasons. I assure the Deputy that the Minster and his officials will do all they can to find out what those reasons are and to streamline the situation so that these schemes can be put in place.

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