Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Fianna Fail)
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Question 170: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the amounts of funding made available by his Department to towns, villages and communities for the installation of closed circuit television; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21655/05]

Michael McDowell (Dublin South East, Progressive Democrats)
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I assume that the Deputy is referring to the community based CCTV scheme that I launched earlier this month. This scheme has been developed in response to a demonstrated demand from local communities across Ireland for the provision of CCTV systems. The purpose of the scheme is to support local communities who wish to install and maintain CCTV security systems in their area, with the aim of increasing public safety and reducing the risk of anti-social and criminal activity.

The scheme is designed to provide financial assistance to qualifying local organisations towards meeting the capital costs associated with the establishment of local community CCTV systems. Under this scheme, individual communities will be able to avail of grant aid funding of up to €100,000 from my Department to install a CCTV system in their area.

I am also delighted to say that further to discussions between our respective Departments, my colleague, the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs, Deputy Ó Cúiv, has given a commitment to provide successful applicants from RAPID areas with a further grant to a maximum of €100,000 subject to the total grant aid from both Departments not exceeding €200,000 or 100% of the capital costs of the project, whichever is the lesser. These CCTV systems will have to be installed to a high-end technical specification and operated in compliance with a strict code of practice. Access to these CCTV systems will also have to be given to the Garda Síochána as required.

The scheme is being managed on behalf my Department by Area Development Management Ltd, ADM. Communities that are not ready to apply for full scheme funding may apply for pre-development supports to assist in the formulation of high-quality proposals which will have the necessary elements of local support and sustainability. Full details of the scheme, together with the relevant application forms and guidelines, are available on my Department's website: http://www.justice.ie, or the ADM website: http://www.adm.ie. They are also available directly from ADM, Holbrook House, Holles Street, Dublin 2. Any queries about this scheme should be directed to ADM at telephone: 01-2400700; fax: 01-6610411 or e-mail: enquiries@adm.ie.