Dee Ryan (Fianna Fail)

I thank the Minister for coming to the House to take this question on the urgent matter of continued and ongoing funding for CCTV cameras in Limerick. The Minister's presence signifies his appreciation of the seriousness of the matter and his commitment to policing and security in Limerick. Before I get to my question, I thank him and acknowledge the work he has done on the criminal law Bill, which he brought forward just before the recess and which, once it has completed its journey through the Houses and been enacted, will do a huge amount in the context of providing protection from domestic violence, gender-based violence and violence against children. As a mother of daughters and as a woman, I thank the Minister for that. I acknowledge his work in this regard. We look forward to debating the Bill in this House.

This matter relates to a significant safety and policing matter in Limerick. I refer to our 24-7 CCTV monitoring service, which is at risk due to the phased winding down of Government regeneration funding. This service is operated by Moyross Community Enterprise Centre in partnership with Limerick City and County Council and An Garda locally in Limerick. It is central to keeping our communities safe. It supports Garda operations and deters crime. Where it does not deter crime, it helps those involved to detect it and pursue prosecutions. As a result, it is crucial. It is deeply concerning for all Oireachtas Members across Limerick that staff at the monitoring centre have been issued with protective notice because of the uncertainty about ongoing funding.

As the Minister knows, Limerick faces unique challenges. It has some of the most deprived communities in the country. The two most deprived parts of the country are in Limerick city. When the Minister visited Limerick earlier this year, he and I met with the representatives from the prison, gardaí, people from a domestic violence refuge and those who provide family supports for prisoners. He was briefed at first hand on many of the issues we are contending with. Poverty and extreme deprivation have serious knock-on effects across society. They impact on health, life expectancy, school attendance, employment prospects and mental well-being. They lead to addiction and leave vulnerable people and children open to exploitation by gangs. Communities in such circumstances need more rather than less Garda support.

This year alone, we have had over 17 shooting incidents in Limerick. We have also had approximately 11 explosive incidents in Limerick. Gangland feuds are simmering in Limerick. In that context, our Garda numbers and supports, including the CCTV unit, have to be strengthened rather than diminished. The loss of this CCTV service will have a serious impact on public safety in Limerick. Since becoming a public representative, I have consistently pressed for greater investment in Garda resources and supports in Limerick, including more CCTV cameras as an essential tool for gardaí and an effective deterrent against crime. I have made representations to the local authority for further cameras on the greenway in Castletroy and in particular areas I am familiar with, such as the graveyard in Scanlon Park in Castleconnell. Both of those locations are known for antisocial behaviour. Drug dealing and other criminal activity takes place at the graveyard in question. I have spoken with local gardaí about these issues. They are supportive of further CCTV cameras being installed.

I thank the Minister for being present and for the direct approach he is taking on this issue. I look forward to his update.