Bobby Aylward (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)
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58. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the progress which has been made to date on the commitment in the programme for Government to support investment in closed-circuit television, CCTV, at key locations along the road network and in urban centres; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24396/17]

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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The Deputy will be aware that the Programme for a Partnership Government commits to providing investment in CCTV systems and that I have secured €1 million in Budget 2017 to begin a new round of community CCTV schemes in line with the Programme.

In this context, I am pleased to inform the Deputy that, on 13 April 2017, I launched the new grant aid scheme to assist community-based groups in the establishment of community-based CCTV systems in their local areas.

Under the scheme, which will be administered by my Department, eligible community groups can apply for grant-aid of up to 60% of the total capital cost of a proposed CCTV system, up to a maximum grant of €40,000. Upon approval of the grant, the applicant will receive an up-front payment of 50% of the grant with the balance to be paid when the system is fully operational.

Full details of the grant aid package including guidelines, application forms, code of practice and other relevant documentation are all available to download from my Department's website.

I am very conscious of the value that communities, especially rural communities, place on CCTV as a means of deterring crime and assisting in the detection of offenders and I would encourage interested groups to avail of the Scheme.