Alan Dillon (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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632. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if she will provide a breakdown of funding awarded to local authorities, communities and groups under the CCTV community grant scheme; the amount awarded to each successful applicant in each year since 2020; if a review on the eligibility criteria of this scheme was carried out; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18371/22]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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Since 2017, my Department has administered a grant aid scheme supporting groups wishing to establish a community-based CCTV system in their area. Eligible groups, including community groups and local authorities nationwide, 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.

The CCTV grant scheme was extended in 2019 to cover not only new CCTV systems but to also provide funding for the extension or upgrade of existing CCTV systems which are incomplete or obsolete. Applicants may now also seek a once-off grant of up to €5,000 for minor maintenance costs. Support and assistance for those running CCTV schemes is available by contacting: fundsadmin-comm-based-cctv@justice.ie.

Community-based CCTV is governed by Section 38(3)(c) of the Garda Síochána Act 2005 and the Garda Síochána (CCTV) Order 2006 (SI 289 of 2006). This legal framework requires that any proposed community CCTV scheme must:

- be approved by the local Joint Policing Committee,

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

- have the authorisation of the Garda Commissioner.

This is the legal basis for all community CCTV schemes, regardless of how they are funded. These key legal requirements have not changed since 2006.

To date, 35 schemes have been approved for funding to a total of €948,649.16. Since 2020, 12 schemes have been approved to a value of €192,021.32.

The breakdown of the amount awarded to each successful applicant since 2020 is as follows.

The Deputy may be aware that the Data Protection Commission have carried out an in-depth, independent review of community CCTV schemes. My Department is incorporating amendments into the Garda Síochána (Digital Recordings) Bill to address these findings.

The General Scheme of the Garda Síochána (Digital Recording) Bill 2021 was approved by the Government and published on 29 April 2021. The General Scheme was sent to the Office of Parliamentary Counsel for formal drafting, and drafting is continuing. The General Scheme was also submitted to the Oireachtas Committee on Justice for pre-legislative scrutiny. The Committee’s report was received in December 2021 and is currently being examined by my officials. It is my intention to publish the Bill in May 2022 and to complete its passage through the Oireachtas later this year.

This Bill will provide statutory underpinning for Garda overt recording, which will include CCTV authorised in local communities by the Garda Commissioner. It is planned to have a further review of the terms and conditions of the current scheme to bring it into line with the proposals in this new legislation and in keeping with the commitment in the Programme for Government. It is expected the Bill will be enacted in 2022.