Hildegarde Naughton (Galway West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The roll-out of community CCTV schemes across the country has benefitted many communities, helping people to feel safer in their local areas. It is a priority of mine to ensure that community groups continue to be supported in their valued contributions to their local CCTV schemes while ensuring sufficient, proportionate oversight of statutory data protection considerations.

Since 2017, the Department has administered a grant aid scheme supporting groups wishing to establish a community-based CCTV system in their area. Eligible groups, including community groups and local authorities nationwide, can apply for grant aid of up to 60% of the total capital cost of a proposed CCTV system, up to a maximum total of €40,000. The scheme was extended in 2019 to cover not only new CCTV systems but also to allow funding applications for extension or upgrade of existing community CCTV systems which are incomplete or obsolete. Applicants can now also seek a once-off grant of up to €5,000 for minor maintenance costs. The scheme is open for applications from all counties. A total of 34 schemes have been funded to date with commitments of almost €940,000 made to these schemes across ten counties and I can confirm that funding continues to be available for 2021.

If the Deputy is aware of groups in County Carlow wishing to avail of the grant aid scheme, further details are available to download from the Department's website, and support and guidance is available to help interested groups through a dedicated email address. The Deputy will be aware that community-based CCTV is governed by the Garda Síochána Act 2005, section 38(3)(c), and the Garda Síochána (CCTV) Order 2006, SI 289 of 2006. This legal framework sets out a number of safeguards, requiring that any proposed community CCTV scheme must: be approved by the local joint policing committee; have the prior support of the relevant local authority, which must also act as data controller; and have the authorisation of the Garda Commissioner.

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