Declan Breathnach (Louth, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I am glad the Minister recognised this is a CCTV scheme for communities and not a scheme for the Garda. He allocated approximately €4 million to the scheme. Some 22 applications have been approved for funding totalling €566,000. The money allocated is not being spent in spite of the demand for schemes. I am here to support the Minister and the concept of community CCTV.

I suggest a simple change in the legislation governing the scheme so as to provide that a scheme must have the prior support of the relevant local authority and that the data controller may be the local authority or the local Garda Síochána by agreement. By inserting that into the legislation, the local Garda could, where practicable, act as the data controller of a community CCTV scheme, particularly in situations involving serious criminality such as may be the case in the Border area. It would end the confusion and allow for more live monitoring by An Garda, a function for which local authorities do not have the resources.

We need to provide the Garda with the necessary technology. The Minister stated it is not a Garda scheme. There is no money available for the Garda to put in overt or covert surveillance where it is needed. If the money allocated to the community CCTV scheme cannot be used - it is clear that it cannot - the Minister should divert some of it to the Garda, particularly in troubled areas.

The current legislation is flawed, resulting in a low uptake of the scheme. On behalf of the many people in my constituency and beyond, I ask the Minister to give further consideration to this excellent scheme and to take on board my suggestions to allow us to deal with the myriad issues he is well aware of, particularly in my constituency and the Border counties.

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