Charlie O'Connor (Dublin South West, Fianna Fail)
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Question 144: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if he will confirm plans for funding for closed circuit television systems in Tallaght including estates in Tallaght west (details supplied); the schedule being followed in this issue; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13456/07]

Michael McDowell (Dublin South East, Progressive Democrats)
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I launched the Community-based CCTV Scheme in June 2005, in response to a demonstrated demand from local communities across Ireland for the provision of CCTV systems. The Scheme is designed 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 both pre-development grants of up to €5,000 to enable qualifying applicants to investigate the need for CCTV in their area and to complete a detailed proposal, and substantial grants of up to €100,000 from my Department to install a CCTV system in their area. In addition, the Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs provides successful applicants from RAPID areas with a further grant to a possible maximum of €100,000. Pobal has been engaged to administer the Scheme on behalf of this Department and it carries out thorough assessments of all applications received.

The first round of the Scheme concluded in September 2005 and 24 successful groups received Stage 1 grants totalling €115,665 with payments being made in 2006. Pobal invited all groups who received Stage 1 grants to submit Stage 2 proposals by 31st January 2007. Twenty of these groups submitted proposals and I announced in recent days that eleven groups had been approved to receive grants totalling in excess of €1 million from my Department, to be matched in RAPID areas by funding in the order of €960,000 provided by the Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs. The final amounts of funding involved for each project will be determined subject to the finalisation of contracts for each scheme.

Three proposed projects in the Tallaght area are included in the eleven groups that have been approved for grants from my Department. They are:

Jobstown Community Development Group, Tallaght,

Getting Tallaght Working Ltd., T/A Partas in Killinarden, and

Getting Tallaght Working Ltd., T/A Partas in Brookfield & Fettercairn.

As these three areas are RAPID areas, the projects will be entitled to seek matching funding from the Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs.

The approval for funding now enables these Community groups in the Tallaght area and, indeed, groups in the other areas of the country involved to install and operate their own CCTV systems under the guidance of An Garda Síochána and the Local Authorities. Pobal will continue to monitor progress on behalf of the Department as these projects are implemented.

Community-based CCTV schemes are an important and effective way for local people and organisations to work together in partnership with the Gardaí and local authorities to help make local communities safer.