Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)
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Question 426: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the number of locations in Dublin where closed circuit television surveillance has been installed; the number of stations in Dublin which have the technology to monitor, read and print off images from closed circuit television; and if he will make a statement on the way in which the use of closed circuit television in Dublin compares to best practice; and the policy initiatives needed to achieve best practice standards. [13071/06]

Michael McDowell (Dublin South East, Progressive Democrats)
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I have been informed by the Garda authorities that Garda CCTV systems have been installed at three locations in the greater Dublin area. Each of the CCTV systems is operated by the Garda Síochána and is equipped with technology to monitor, read and print images recorded by the CCTV system. The systems are located at O'Connell Street, Pearse Street and Temple Bar and Dún Laoghaire. The O'Connell Street CCTV system has 44 cameras and is monitored at the Garda office on O'Connell Street. The Pearse Street and Temple Bar CCTV system has 25 cameras and is monitored at Pearse Street Garda station. The Dún Laoghaire CCTV system has nine cameras and is monitored at Dún Laoghaire Garda station. The Garda traffic management centre, which is located at the Garda's Dublin metropolitan region headquarters in Harcourt Square, has the ability to access and monitor cameras as required from the Pearse Street and Temple Bar and O'Connell Street CCTV systems, as well as cameras attached to Dublin City Council's traffic management system. Further CCTV systems will be installed in Ballyfermot, Clondalkin and Tallaght as part of the ongoing Garda CCTV programme, under which CCTV systems are being installed at 17 other locations. I hope to have the systems in operation at the earliest opportunity, subject to compliance with relevant procurement legislation and procedures.

People operating a Garda CCTV system must adhere strictly to a code of practice for the use of such systems. The code was drafted in co-operation with the Office of the Data Protection Commissioner, which is the State agency responsible for providing guidance on matters relating to the electronic processing of data; in this instance, recorded CCTV images. The code of practice reflects domestic and international best practice. I commenced the provisions of section 38 of the Garda Síochána Act 2005, which provides a statutory basis for the operation of CCTV systems in public places by the Garda Síochána and certain other bodies, on 31 March 2006.