Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 431: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the location of the closed circuit television camera in County Mayo; the towns in which they are located; the towns which have made applications for closed circuit television; and the proposed locations for closed circuit television in Mayo towns. [4006/06]

Michael McDowell (Dublin South East, Progressive Democrats)
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As the Deputy is aware, Castlebar is one of the 11 remaining locations nationwide which form part of the Garda CCTV programme. Following recommendations from the Garda authorities, I have approved the implementation of six new Garda CCTV systems. With the addition of these six new locations a total of 17 Garda town centre CCTV systems will be implemented in Athlone, Ballyfermot, Carlow, Castlebar, Clondalkin, Clonmel, Drogheda, Dungarvan, Ennis, Kilkenny, Kinsale, Mullingar, Portlaoise, Sligo, Tallaght, Tullamore and Waterford.

As I indicated previously, I am anxious to accelerate the implementation of this CCTV programme and reduce as far as possible the workload of the Garda Síochána in this regard. I believe that the answer is to outsource the installation of Garda CCTV systems to the greatest extent possible, making use not only of the technical but also of the project management expertise in the private sector.

In recent months the Garda Síochána conducted a thorough examination of all aspects of Garda involvement in CCTV systems. Following this review, I recently received a comprehensive and innovative proposal for the project management and the outsourced service provision of Garda CCTV systems, including Castlebar, from the Garda Commissioner. The Garda authorities wish to commence the initial public procurement process and I am also anxious to proceed urgently with this comprehensive request for tender to source the best CCTV service possible for Castlebar and the other 16 locations selected. This will happen in conjunction with the imminent commencement of section 38 of the Garda Síochána Act 2005, which provides a legislative basis for the operation of CCTV in public places.

My Department is in consultation with the Department of Finance with a view to proceeding as quickly as possible with the procurement process to contract the project managers and outsourced service providers for the development, installation and management of these CCTV systems. My ambition is to have a Garda CCTV system operating in Castlebar and in the other locations, at the earliest opportunity, subject to compliance with relevant procurement legislation and procedures. I am informed by the Garda authorities that an application for a Garda CCTV system in Ballina has been received by the CCTV advisory committee. This committee was established by the Garda Commissioner to advise on all matters relating to CCTV systems.

This application is under consideration by the advisory committee along with applications from other cities and towns throughout the country. Two towns in County Mayo submitted proposals for grant aid under my Department's community based CCTV scheme. Applications for Stage 1 pre-development funding were received from Ballina CCTV steering committee and IRD Kiltimagh. No other applications were received from towns or communities in County Mayo. Applications for funding were thoroughly assessed against the criteria set out in the community based CCTV scheme application guidelines with a view to forming a list of projects suitable for funding under the scheme. All applications, including those recommended for funding by Pobal, were then considered by the community based CCTV project board, which is chaired by this Department, before I made a final decision on the matter.

Following a thorough assessment of their application, IRD Kiltimagh's application for funding was deemed not to reach a high enough standard to be granted funding at this stage. I approved a pre-development grant of €5,000 in respect of Ballina CCTV steering committee's application. I understand that Pobal recently provided feedback directly to all applicants under the scheme. It is intended to invite a new round of applications for funding under the community based CCTV scheme in the coming months, and it is, of course, open to any town in County Mayo to submit an application for funding at that stage.