Charles Flanagan (Laois, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Senator for raising this important matter in the Seanad this morning. I reiterate that a long-standing statutory requirement for community CCTV systems is that the proposal must have, inter alia, the prior support of the appropriate and relevant local authority. That local authority must, in accordance with the law, act as data controller. That is set out in the 2006 order and it applies to all community CCTV schemes, regardless of whether it is a grant aid scheme or whether there is a grant application, in order to ensure a legally based grounding to the setting up of the scheme in the first instance.

I assure the Senator that my Department is proactively investing in the schemes and in the assistance to groups in the setting up of the schemes in their local areas. My intention is that this scheme will run for three years. Funding of €1 million is being made available each year over that period and then it will be subject to review. In that regard, my Department continues to receive a regular flow of inquiries, including from local authorities, on the matter of the scheme. Full details of the package are available to download but I stress my Department officials are available to provide additional guidance on the application process.

In thanking the Senator for raising this matter, I would encourage him and other colleagues from his local authority to join me in actively encouraging groups to take advantage of the availability of the scheme. I am sure it is an issue we will have an opportunity to debate again in the future. I very much welcome the issue raised by the Senator.