Shane Cassells (Meath West, Fianna Fail)
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95. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the number of applications received in 2017 and 2018 by county for the community CCTV scheme in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5832/19]

Shane Cassells (Meath West, Fianna Fail)
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96. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the number of applications granted in 2017 and 2018 by county for the community CCTV scheme in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5833/19]

Shane Cassells (Meath West, Fianna Fail)
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97. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the amount of funding issued to communities for the community CCTV scheme by county in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5834/19]

Charles Flanagan (Laois, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 95 to 97, inclusive, together.

The Deputy will be aware that 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 but complementary categories, namely Garda CCTV systems and community-based CCTV systems. Neither may be established without the authorisation of the Garda Commissioner, among other requirements.

Community based CCTV is governed by section 38(3)(c) of the Garda Síochána Act 2005 and the Garda Síochána (CCTV) Order 2006 (SI No 289 of 2006). This legal framework requires that any proposed community CCTV scheme must:

- be approved by the local Joint Policing Committee,

- have the authorisation of the Garda Commissioner, and

- have the prior support of the relevant local authority, which must also act as data controller.

This is the legal basis for all community CCTV schemes, regardless of how they are funded.

As the Deputy is aware, the Programme for a Partnership Government commits to supporting investment in CCTV systems. In furtherance of this commitment, a grant-aid scheme to assist groups in the establishment of community-based CCTV systems in their local areas is being administered by my Department. Eligible groups, including community groups and local authorities, can apply for grant-aid of up to 60% of the total capital cost of a proposed CCTV system, up to a maximum total of €40,000.

There have to date been 28 applications to the scheme. 20 applications have been approved, involving approved grants totalling more than €500,000. A further 5 applications to the scheme are being assessed and considered. The remaining 3 applications have been returned to the applicants concerned to enable them to supply the information necessary to qualify for grant aid.

As information requested by the Deputy, the following table sets out the breakdown by county of the applications approved for funding to date and the level of funding for which approval has been granted.

I am keen to ensure that all interested groups, in both rural and urban areas, have the opportunity to take advantage of the availability of the grant aid scheme. If the Deputy is aware of groups wishing to avail of the scheme, full details of the grant aid package are available to download from my Department's website - www.justice.ieand support and guidance is available to help interested groups to apply for this funding through a dedicated email address communitycctv@justice.ie