Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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Question 219: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the number of applications received from projects based in County Meath, Cork city and county and Tipperary for the community closed circuit television programme; and the number of successful applications. [11219/06]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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Question 220: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the amount of funding allocation to the community closed circuit television programme since its inception; and the amount of funding allocated to projects in County Meath, Cork city and county and Tipperary; and the name and address of these projects. [11220/06]

Michael McDowell (Dublin South East, Progressive Democrats)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 219 and 220 together.

I launched the community based CCTV scheme last year 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 day to day administration of this scheme is being carried out by Pobal, formerly Area Development Management Ltd., on behalf of my Department. A two-stream application process was put in place prior to the launch of the scheme. It was recognised that many interested parties would not be ready to apply for full scheme funding, or stage 2, so a separate stream of pre-development stage 1 supports was made available. Up to €5,000 could be made available to successful applicants under stage 1 to assist in the formulation of high quality proposals which would have the necessary elements of local support and sustainability to avail of stage 2 funding.

Applicants could also submit proposals for stage 2 funding, which would assist them in meeting the capital costs associated with the establishment of local community CCTV systems. The maximum stage 2 grant awardable by my Department was €100,000, with an agreement from the Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs to match the funding allocated by my Department in respect of successful stage 2 applications from RAPID areas. Over €1 million in grant aid has already been allocated to 37 communities under the scheme and many of these could see their CCTV systems in operation before the end of the year. The list of successful applicants was published on my Department's website on 30 December 2005.

A total of 16 applications for funding under both stage 1 and stage 2 of the scheme were received from the counties referred to by the Deputy as follows: nine in Cork city and county, three in County Meath and four in County Tipperary. Stage 1 grants of up to €5,000 have been allocated to the following applicants in the areas referred to by the Deputy: Blackpool CCTV Development Group c/o RAPID, 70 South Mall, Cork City; Clonmel RAPID crime prevention, safety and security task group, Clonmel Borough Council, town hall, Clonmel, County Tipperary; RAPID safety and security task group, town hall, New Street, Carrick-on-Suir, County Tipperary. Mallow Town Council, town hall, Mallow, County Cork was the only organisation from the areas referred to by the Deputy to submit a successful application under stage 2 of the scheme.

Contract negotiations between Pobal and the relevant community groups to determine the final level of funding to be made available to successful applicants are ongoing and will conclude shortly. It is also my intention to invite a new round of applications for funding under the community based CCTV scheme in the coming months, and it is open to any group to submit an application for funding under either stage at that time.