Jackie Cahill (Tipperary, Fianna Fail)
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309. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the person or body that owns CCTV hardware at a location (details supplied); the person or body that is responsible for the monitoring and recording; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39125/17]

Charles Flanagan (Laois, Fine Gael)
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As the Deputy will be aware, my Department is currently administering a new grant-aid scheme to assist community groups in the establishment of community-based CCTV systems. Under the scheme, 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.

Full details of the scheme, including guidelines, application forms, code of practice and other relevant documentation are all available from my Department's website and I would strongly encourage interested groups to avail of the scheme.

I would draw the attention of the Deputy to section 38(3)(C) of the Garda Síochána Act 2005, which makes provision for the authorisation by the Garda Commissioner of CCTV Schemes that meet the established criteria and where the application for authorisation has been approved by the relevant local authority after consulting with the joint policing committee for the administrative area concerned.

Given the pivotal roles of the local authority and joint policing committee in the statutory framework, the Deputy will appreciate that, as Minister, I have no function in relation to the matter. Rather, it would seem that the question of ownership and operation of the CCTV hardware referred to by the Deputy would be a matter for the local authority concerned.