Jack Wall (Kildare South, Labour)
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Question 258: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the amount of moneys allocated under the community graffiti reduction programme; the communities at which this funding was aimed; if there will be an increase in funding; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47035/09]

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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The Community Graffiti Reduction Programme (CGRP) was launched in April 2008. My Department contracted Pobal to manage and maintain the scheme and associated funds for projects to address the problem of graffiti. In 2008, a budget of €2.75 million was initially made available to the Programme. The CGRP was to be organised into two Phases. Phase 1 of the Programme applied to RAPID areas only to cover immediate graffiti removal work. A total of approx €1 million was actually spent under this phase of the scheme.

It was envisaged that a second strand of funding would be made available nationally, to eligible groups to develop local mechanisms within communities to support long-term reduction of incidences of graffiti. Unfortunately, due to the declining state of the public finances, this Phase could not be commenced and the Programme was formally brought to an end in June 2009. No funding is consequently being made available for the scheme in 2010.

In addition to the CGRP as outlined above, a pilot Community Service Graffiti Removal Project was officially established in 2008 by the Probation Services in partnership with South Dublin County Council. The initiative was based on previous Community Service work in the Tallaght area involving the painting over of graffiti and site clearing work by offenders in lieu of a custodial sentence. My Department provided funding of approximately €70,000 for the initial cost of the conversion of a vehicle and purchase of specialised equipment for this very successful project which is ongoing.