Thomas Byrne (Meath East, Fianna Fail)
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133. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the status of an application for CCTV in an area (details supplied). [21068/19]

Charles Flanagan (Laois, 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 fall into two distinct but complementary categories, namely Garda CCTV systems and community-based CCTV systems.

Community 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. It may also be noted that my Department does not have a role in relation to consideration of applications for Joint Policing Committee approval, local authority approval or Garda Commissioner authorisation for individual CCTV scheme applications.

My Department does however administer a grant aid scheme for community CCTV schemes. This grant aid scheme to assist groups in the establishment of community-based CCTV systems in their local areas was established in furtherance of a commitment in the Programme for a Partnership Government to supporting investment in CCTV systems. 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.

20 applications have been approved to date under the scheme, involving grant aid totalling more than €500,000.

I can confirm that my Department has to date not received any application for funding for community CCTV in the area referred to by the Deputy, namely Moneymore, Drogheda, County Louth.

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, further details are available to download from my Department's website - www.justice.ie and support and guidance is available to help interested groups through a dedicated email address communitycctv@justice.ie.