Mattie McGrath (Tipperary South, Fianna Fail)
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Question 224: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the progress made to date on the pilot scheme announced by his Department in March 2007 to provide capital funding for housing schemes occupied by older persons; if his attention has been drawn to the benefits this scheme could have if implemented in the designated 12 pilot areas as soon as possible; the reason for the delay; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5938/08]

Brian Lenihan Jnr (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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The Deputy will be aware that a scheme to provide capital funding for the installation and operation of CCTV systems in local authority housing schemes and housing projects operated by not-for-profit organisations occupied by older persons was announced last year. This scheme will initially operate on a pilot basis, it is intended to include a number of areas which will provide a rural/urban mix and it will also include projects from RAPID areas. The aim of this scheme is to provide protection for elderly persons who would not normally be in a position to provide CCTV systems for themselves. These communities are sometimes affected by criminal and anti-social behaviour around their own homes. I am convinced that CCTV will be an important deterrent and also provide peace of mind to the residents in these areas.

Work on the pilot scheme, including the development of guidelines and technical specifications, is being brought forward by my Department in consultation with the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, the Irish Council for Social Housing and An Garda Síochána in the context of the ongoing roll-out of the Community-based CCTV scheme. The timetable is linked to the further roll out of the Joint Policing Committees as, in accordance with the Garda Síochána Act 2005, the Joint Policing Committee for the relevant local authority area must be consulted before the local authority can approve an application to the Garda Commissioner for authorisation for a CCTV system. Following consultations with my colleagues the Ministers for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government and Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs I intend to issue, as soon as possible, revised guidelines to enable roll-out of the committees to all local authority areas in the State. The guidelines will provide inter alia a timetable for this roll-out.