Charlie O'Connor (Dublin South West, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 49: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if he will take action to ensure that Tallaght is included in his Department's plans for a closed circuit television scheme; his views on the particular needs of Tallaght in that regard; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40984/06]

Michael McDowell (Dublin South East, Progressive Democrats)
Link to this: Individually | In context

I am informed by the Garda authorities that Tallaght is one of the 17 areas which form part of the Garda CCTV Programme, as follows (listed alphabetically): Athlone, Ballyfermot, Carlow, Castlebar, Clondalkin, Clonmel, Drogheda, Dungarvan, Ennis, Kilkenny, Kinsale, Mullingar, Portlaoise, Sligo, Tallaght, Tullamore and Waterford.

Garda Management and my Department are currently in consultation with the Department of Finance with a view to proceeding as quickly as possible with the procurement process to contract outsourced service providers for the development, installation and management of these CCTV systems, including Tallaght. This will be the subject of a peer review process organised by the Department of Finance. Following the successful conclusion of this review it is intended to issue the Request for Tender. It is anticipated that this contract will be placed in 2007.

The Garda authorities are currently evaluating tenders for the installation of three Garda CCTV Systems in Ballyfermot, Clondalkin and Tullamore. These three towns were chosen as representative of the average size of a Garda Síochána CCTV system, containing a good cross-section of the type of urban area in which Garda CCTV is typically deployed. These systems will use wireless CCTV technology which will allow CCTV cameras to be redeployed as necessary to meet changing policing requirements. Contractors will be required to complete the deployment of these CCTV systems before the end of March 2007. Further such projects are under consideration by the Garda Commissioner as part of the process of outsourcing Garda CCTV systems. Tallaght will be considered together with the remainder of the Garda CCTV Programme.