Finian McGrath (Dublin North Central, Independent)
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Question 215: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if he will support a group (details supplied) in Dublin 9 with their application to Pobal for a community based closed circuit television scheme in order to deal with anti-social behaviour issues; and if he will work with other relevant Departments on this matter. [6047/07]

Michael McDowell (Dublin South East, Progressive Democrats)
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In June 2005 I launched the Community Based CCTV Scheme to provide financial assistance to qualifying local organisations towards meeting the capital costs associated with the establishment of local community CCTV systems. The Scheme offers two types of funding:

Stage 1 offers a pre-development grant of up to €5,000 to enable qualifying applicants investigate the need for CCTV in their area and to complete a detailed proposal, for submission under Stage 2.

Stage 2 is a direct Application Process for organisations who consider that they can develop and deliver a CCTV Programme immediately. It enables communities to avail of grant aid funding of up to €100,000 from this Department to install a CCTV system in their area. In addition, the Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs has given a commitment to provide successful applications 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.

Pobal have been engaged to administer the Scheme on behalf of my Department. A new round of funding under the Community Based CCTV Scheme was advertised on 1 December 2006. The closing date for applications has been set at 28 February 2007. I have been informed by Pobal that no application has been received by them to date from the Group in Dublin 9 referred to by the Deputy.

All application documentation is published on the websites of both Pobal and the Department of Justice Equality and Law Reform. The documentation for the Scheme has been revised to be more user-friendly and also to take account of the requirements of section 38 of the Garda Síochána Act 2005.