Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 496: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if applications have been made to him for closed circuit television for a town (details supplied) in County Mayo. [23397/07]

Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 497: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the applications made for towns in County Mayo in respect of closed circuit television funding; the number of applications that have been successful; and the number that are waiting to be supplied with CCTV cameras. [23398/07]

Brian Lenihan Jnr (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 496 and 497 together.

CCTV systems have become an important and effective tool as a support to policing and public safety and they can also act as a useful deterrent to crime and public disorder. The Community-based CCTV Scheme was launched 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 also offers 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. Pobal has been engaged to administer the scheme on behalf of my Department and it carries out thorough assessments of all applications received.

I have been informed by Pobal that no applications were received from groups in the town to which the Deputy refers. A successful application was received under the scheme from the Ballina CCTV Steering Committee for pre-development funding. Subsequently, an application for capital funding was made and this application is currently being considered by Pobal who have raised some queries with the Steering Committee. Unsuccessful applications for pre-development funding were also received from groups in Kiltimagh and Westport.

It is intended to invite applications for funding under the Community-based CCTV Scheme on a periodic basis and it will be open to any group from County Mayo to submit an application for funding at that time. Further details of the scheme and the relevant documentation are available on my Department's website, www.justice.ie, or on Pobal's website, www.pobal.ie.

Garda CCTV schemes are planned and implemented on the basis of identified operational need. I have been informed by the Garda authorities that a Garda town centre CCTV system has been sanctioned for Castlebar, County Mayo and a contract for the supply and installation of this system will be issued shortly.

Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 498: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the amount spent on closed circuit television cameras for the past five years on an annual basis, by town and nationwide. [23399/07]

Brian Lenihan Jnr (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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Garda town centre CCTV systems are planned and implemented on the basis of identified operational need. These systems are usually located within the commercial and recreational areas of our towns and cities. I have been informed by the Garda authorities that the amount spent from the Garda Vote on Garda CCTV systems in the period 1 January 2003 to 30 September 2007 is as set out in the table.

I am also advised by the Garda authorities that the monies spent on CCTV are not currently collated on a town by town basis. To gather this information would require a disproportionate amount of time and resources. At present, Garda CCTV systems are in operation in nine cities and towns around the country and work is ongoing on the development and installation of a further 17 systems.

The Community-based CCTV Scheme was launched 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.

Overall, since the launch of the scheme, grant awards to local community groups have been announced for over 80 groups around the country to a total of almost €7 million. Pobal has been engaged by my Department to carry out the day-to-day administration of the scheme. I have been informed by Pobal that the amount spent on each scheme from the Garda Vote on Community-based CCTV since the launch of the scheme to 30 September 2007 is as set out in the table.

Payments under the scheme are made on a phased basis according to the development of the individual CCTV systems and, accordingly, significant further payments are due in respect of a number of the schemes listed above. In addition, funding for community based CCTV schemes which are in RAPID areas is also made available from my colleague the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs.

I am committed to the further expansion of the CCTV programme around the country and this process is ongoing. It is intended to invite applications for funding under the Community-based CCTV Scheme periodically and it is open to any group to submit an application for funding at that stage. Further details of the scheme and relevant documentation are available on either my Department's website, www.justice.ie, or on Pobal's website, www.pobal.ie.