Mike Kennelly (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister and welcome him to the Seanad. I wish to raise serious issues regarding the roll-out of CCTV surveillance in all our towns and villages across the country. It can offer several key benefits for public safety and well-being. CCTV systems act as a visible deterrent to individuals or groups considering illegal activities. In showing them they are being monitored, CCTV discourages such behaviour and prevents crime, including antisocial behaviour, theft, vandalism, assault, illegal dumping, drug trafficking in our villages and speeding through our villages. The benefits make everybody's life a lot safer. People are less likely to commit crimes such as theft, vandalism and assault if they know they are being monitored. CCTV helps monitor public spaces, ensuring incidents and emergencies such as accidents or disturbances can be quickly detected and responded to by gardaí. Communities' peace of mind and sense of security can be increased by knowing this is in place, helping residents feel safer in their homes and in public spaces. I want to highlight what happened in a local village. Tarbert is in north Kerry. During Hallowe'en night, a gang of up to 50 youths, who were dressed in black and wearing balaclavas, took over the village between the hours of 8 p.m. and 9 p.m. It was a nasty situation. They took control of the village and set off fireworks. They had a fireworks battle. They interfered with traffic and the public, causing chaos. This was not a safe environment, as fireworks were set off near homes and there was intimidation of passing traffic and people, which led to fear among families who were out trick-or-treating with their children. I met residents in that locality in the Tarbert Community Centre and almost 100 locals turned up for that public meeting. I promised them that night that there would be extra surveillance, as in the installation of CCTV, to protect the residents from disruption occurring on the next Hallowe'en night. Every one of them agreed with this.

CCTV will protect businesses from theft, thus supporting all our local businesses. They are being exploited currently. CCTV will also serve our fantastic tourism market and people visiting Kerry in general. Kerry is the tourism capital of Ireland. The installation of CCTV means tourists will feel confident enough to visit places in Kerry where their safety is prioritised. CCTV can also provide evidence in investigations, helping to identify perpetrators, solve crimes and ensure that justice is served. In addition to crime prevention, CCTV can monitor traffic flow, detect accidents and ensure that roads are safe for all road users.

To finish, CCTV will play a critical role in enhancing safety, deterring crime and supporting communities, the Garda and all local authorities. The installation of CCTV will make this country the safest there is. I look forward to hearing the response of the Minister.