Pat Breen (Clare, Fine Gael)
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1048. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government if the pilot funding for the provision of rural close-circuit television will be extended to County Clare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37571/15]

Ann Phelan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Labour)
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An initial amount of €50,000 has been allocated towards the cost of a community led pilot rural CCTV initiative, with the possibility of the pilot being rolled out to a limited number of other locations in the near future, with a potential €130,000 in total being made available for the project. As this pilot is in the very early stages, no groups have received funding to date. The rural community-based CCTV pilot will provide financial assistance towards meeting the capital costs associated with the establishment of a rural community CCTV system. It is envisaged that CCTV cameras will be located in strategic positions in rural locations, with the aim of increasing public safety and deterring criminal or anti-social behaviour.

This will act not only as a deterrent but also assist with the possible prosecution of offenders through facilitating the detection and investigation of offences as well as providing recorded evidence of occurrences of incidents and also facilitating quicker responses.

I will continue to work closely with the Minister for Justice and Equality and An Garda Síochána, who have the lead role in crime prevention and combatting anti-social and disorderly behaviour, regarding the roll out of a rural CCTV programme to other locations.