Michelle Mulherin (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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131. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality in the context of the forthcoming budget 2015, if she will put in place a national scheme for the provision and upgrading of a modern CCTV system with dedicated staff for monitoring same to assist with policing for towns and villages throughout the country which have experienced a reduction in Garda numbers and-or where Garda stations have closed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39006/14]

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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CCTV systems installed for the purposes of crime prevention and as aids to policing in areas to which the general public routinely have access, such as town centres, fall into two distinct categories: Garda CCTV systems and community-based CCTV systems.

Garda CCTV systems are planned and implemented on the basis of An Garda Síochána's identified operational needs and priorities. Accordingly, decisions in relation to the introduction or extension of such systems are a matter for the Garda Commissioner. I am advised by the Garda authorities that current Garda CCTV arrangements are kept under ongoing review in the context of An Garda Síochána's operational requirements. I am further informed that there are currently no plans to extend existing Garda CCTV systems.

A community-based CCTV Scheme was launched in 2005. This scheme provided financial assistance to qualifying local organisations towards meeting the capital costs associated with the establishment of a local community CCTV system. Two major rounds of funding were advertised under that scheme.

The current position is that all available funding provided under the previous two rounds has been fully allocated and there are currently no plans to further extend the Scheme. However, the matter will continue to be kept under ongoing review in the context of overall policy considerations and the availability of funding.