Vol. 967 No. 4
32. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the status of the measures being taken on foot of the recommendations of the State Ombudsman’s report on the Magdalen restorative justice scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16782/18]
The Minister is aware that it is five months since the Ombudsman published his report on the Magdalen restorative scheme introduced by the previous Government to deal with the great disservice done to Irish women who served in Magdalen laundries. Several recommendations contained in the Ombudsman's report have not yet been complied with by the Minister and his Department. What is being done in respect of those recommendations and when will those outstanding be implemented?
I am fully committed to honouring the commitments of the previous Government, of which I was a member, in respect of the Magdalen redress scheme. As the House is aware, a total of €25.9 million in lump sums has been paid to 691 applicants under the Magdalen laundries restorative justice scheme. In addition, qualifying applicants receive additional benefits under the scheme, including an enhanced medical card from the HSE and top-up pension payments from the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection.
Last November, the Ombudsman published a report which was critical in certain respects of the administration of the scheme by my Department. The Ombudsman made four recommendations, namely, that women who worked in the laundries but were resident in adjoining industrial schools or training centres should be considered under the scheme; cases under the scheme where there has been a dispute over length of stay in an institution should be reviewed; assistance should be given to women who lack capacity to accept compensation; and central guidance should be developed in respect of any future restorative justice or redress schemes. The recommendation to consider residents of adjoining institutions raises some issues which will be addressed by an interdepartmental group as part of the process of implementation and I will be consulting with the Ombudsman as I take this process forward.
Last week, the Taoiseach and I, together with our officials, met the Ombudsman to discuss the recommendations in his report. The meeting was positive and constructive. Today I brought a memorandum to Government to update my Cabinet colleagues on the recommendations and the steps I am taking to implement them as quickly as possible, including a review of cases where there has been a dispute over length of stay and the provision of assistance to applicants who lack capacity. There will also be a focused and time-limited assessment of the modalities involved in applying the scheme to residents of adjoining institutions and of any related issues. I intend to return to the Government with final proposals on implementation. I will be working with the Ombudsman on the implementation of each of his recommendations and will be very happy to keep the Deputy and the House updated on progress on these issues.
I welcome that the Minister met the Ombudsman last week. However, it is important that we recall that the report of the Ombudsman was produced and published five months ago. When he produced his report, he provided in it evidence of significant maladministration within the Department in terms of the operation of the scheme. The Ombudsman came to that conclusion having conducted an investigation after 27 women complained about the fact that they had been denied redress. He considered their complaints and those of others.
It is important to note that there are several issues currently outstanding with which the Minister must deal. Firstly, the Department has not yet complied with the recommendation of the Ombudsman that women who worked in Magdalen laundries as children but were registered on the rolls of other children's institutions should be allowed into the scheme. That matter must be dealt with. Secondly, the Minister raised the issue of the women who are deemed to lack the capacity to administer their financial affairs. Those women need assistance from the State and an advocacy service to act on their behalf. Thirdly, we must recognise that the Minister's Department has not yet complied with the recommendation to bring in an independent reviewer to reassess the applications of women given payments which reflect less than the time they stated they had spent in the laundries.
I am very keen that this issue be dealt with. The principal recommendation is that my Department should, with a view towards admitting them to the scheme, fully reconsider the applications of women who worked in one of the listed laundries but were officially recorded as having been admitted to a training centre or industrial school located in, attached to or on the grounds of one of the laundries. Deputy O'Callaghan will accept that that raises a series of issues as to the scope, purpose and administration of the scheme and in terms of how we might best move matters forward. The Ombudsman's recommendation refers to applications already received relating to a training or an industrial school located in the same grounds as one of the 12 named institutions. However, it could not be restricted to existing applicants and would, therefore, at a minimum, extend the scheme to other institutions.
We must recall that we are dealing with a limited number of vulnerable women in this situation. The State owes them an obligation. The scheme brought forward by the previous Government should be applied in a generous way. It is regrettable that that has not been done to date. I hope that the Minister's recommendations will ensure a more generous application of the scheme for the women concerned.
I wish to thank the Minister for the fact that he is now facilitating the women meeting. I understand that invitations to an event launched by the Lord Mayor are being sent out by the Department of Justice and Equality and I commend the Minister in that regard. However, we must fully recognise that many of these women need further support from the State and the community. The Minister must consider the fact that many have not received the full health and community care package recommended by Mr. Justice Quirke. Many of them have been very significant impacted as a result of being denied that care. I ask the Minister to bring an urgency to the matter. It is regrettable that such urgency has been lacking to date.
There are two issues on which I am keen to reassure the House of progress. The first relates to benefits under the jurisdiction of the HSE in respect of health and medical care, while the second relates to benefits within the remit of the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection in respect of pensions. It is important that we ensure such issues will be dealt with.
I thank the Deputy for his comments on the conference for Magdalen women which is scheduled for June this year. It will be an excellent opportunity for those women who wish and are able to attend to meet others and participate fully in the events which will form part of what is an interesting conference programme. I recently met the group that is closely involved in organising the event. I have committed to providing funding towards the cost, while officials of my Department are working closely with the women involved in order to ensure it will be a memorable and positive event.
33. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if he will report on the proposed review of rape and sexual offences trials; the terms of reference and scope of the review; and his plans to consider matters such as consent in co-operation with other Departments and legal representation for defendants. [16606/18]
The trying of sexual offences and rape cases has been much discussed in recent times. While some of it relates to a case taken outside this jurisdiction, it is still a fact that the number of cases brought in this jurisdiction from complaint to criminal conviction is very low, at in or around 8%, and that there are deficiencies and problems in how cases are tried. I wrote to the Minister and the justice committee on 29 March to propose that a review be carried out of the manner in which rape cases and sexual offences were tried. The Minister proposed a related initiative. I ask him to outline that proposal in greater detail.
The deeply personal nature of a sexual offence impacts greatly on the victim. The prosecution of such offences must be dealt with in a sensitive manner, with respect for the rights of the accused person and the complainant. Although in a different jurisdiction with a distinct set of court procedures, the recent case in Northern Ireland has, rightly, brought out into the open conversations on consent and the way sexual offences are dealt with in the courts.
I am aware that there have been reports this week on discrepancies in statistics for sexual assaults. I know that An Garda Síochána is working with the Central Statistics Office, CSO, and the Policing Authority to ensure the issues related to crime statistics will be resolved as a matter of urgency.
Much work has already been done to protect complainants in sexual offence cases from any additional trauma arising from the criminal process. There are many existing provisions aimed at supporting the complainant in sexual offence proceedings, including restrictions on public attendance at the trial and press reporting. Complainants are entitled to legal advice and representation through the Legal Aid Board in certain limited circumstances.
An Garda Síochána has introduced measures to ensure complainants will be dealt with sensitively in investigations into sexual offences. Appropriately trained staff have been placed in divisional protective services offices to investigate these difficult crimes. Three of these offices have been established and at least four more will be established this year, with work in hand to expand the network to cover all Garda divisions by the end of next year.
The enactment of the Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Bill 2017 last year was a significant development of the law on sexual offences, putting in place a statutory definition of consent to a sexual act. The Criminal Justice (Victims of Crime) Act 2017 also has enhanced protections for victims of crime, including victims of sexual offences.
While these developments have been extremely positive, I believe it is timely to take a broader look at the investigation and prosecution of sexual offences to identify any scope for further practical or legislative steps to support victims of sexual offences, while fully respecting the rights of the accused. As I have announced, I am drawing up proposals for such a review which will, of course, involve consultation with relevant stakeholders and take account of other proposals which have been made in this area such as the recent report by an inter-agency group headed by Rape Crisis Network of Ireland on vulnerable witnesses. I am working to finalise the terms of reference of this review shortly. I will be happy to keep the House updated on these matters.
I thank the Minister, but it is important that people outside the House have a clear understanding that this will not be a box-ticking exercise in response to events and that this could end up as being just another report. We must ensure it will be a report that delivers. The number of complaints that proceed to a conviction is about 8%, which is extremely low. The recent revelations on the overstating of the number of sexual offences reported are also very concerning. They were overstated by 26% in 2003 and 6% overall for the 14 years to 2016, which, unfortunately, underlines the fact that there are still issues arising in the management of data by An Garda Síochána. What I want to hear from the Minister is when he intends the report to be completed and what actions he intends to take on foot of it because we need to see the recommendations proceed into legislation once the review has been completed.
In the first instance, I am very keen to consult. I have arranged meetings in the coming days with many of the stakeholders involved, with particular reference to women's groups which have been advocating change for some time. I also intend to meet representatives of the legal profession who encounter the matter of evidence within the courts on a day-to-day basis.
I acknowledge that legislation has recently been enacted in this House, with particular reference to the Criminal Justice (Victims of Crime) Act and the Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Act of 2017. I am really keen to enact two other pieces of legislation at the earliest opportunity, one of which is the Domestic Violence Bill, on which I have worked with my colleague, the Minister of State, Deputy David Stanton. I believe it can be enacted in its entirety in this House within a few weeks. There is also the Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) (Amendment) Bill 2018, the main purpose of which is to provide for presumptive minimum sentences for repeat sexual offenders. I will shortly bring to the Cabinet the general scheme of a sex offenders (amendment) Bill which will propose a number of amendments to the Sex Offenders Act 2001. In addition, I intend to continue my ongoing discussions with An Garda Síochána in order to resolve difficulties with or remove confusion about the current mode or method of compiling Garda statistics in such a way that it will be transparent and inspire confidence.
The Minister has still not answered what I thought was a relatively easy question, namely, when he intends the process tol be completed. In addition to the review, other actions can be taken before it is completed, given that legislation is passing through the House. Women's Aid has proposed that there be a "no contact until contact is safe" rule arrangement. The Domestic Violence Bill would be an appropriate location for such a measure. If an amendment is brought forward in that regard, will the Government consider supporting it? In recent years there has been some controversy and criticism of the inconsistency in sentencing for sexual offences. I am meeting the Minister this week to discuss the Judicial Council Bill and the Judicial Appointments Commission Bill and I hope he will consider sentencing guidelines in the context of the Judicial Council Bill. That would be appropriate and proper.
Yes. That Bill is before the House and, like a considerable number of pieces of legislation in the justice area. I am anxious to ensure the full co-operation of the House in order that such important legislative measures can be placed in the Statute Book before we rise for the summer recess.
I take on board what the Deputy said about the Women's Aid report. I was not present this morning as I was attending the Cabinet meeting, but my colleague, the Minister of State, Deputy David Stanton, has discussed some very important and sensitive issues that were raised at the meeting. In the context of my deliberations, I am keen to reach out to advocacy groups in order to ensure we can have the best possible supports for women, girls and victims. I intend to do this. I also acknowledge the facilities in place for victims in courts throughout the land. I refer to the multimillion euro Courts Service budget for courthouses, the most recent of which was opened in Waterford.
The standard courtroom facility will now have victim support rooms and suites for vulnerable witnesses. I am keen to ensure that the court is no longer a place of intimidation or discomfort or a strange place, particularly for victims of sexual and domestic offences.
I remind Members that every time they break the time rules, somebody loses out in terms of having a question answered. I ask Members to abide by the rules that we have set down ourselves through the Business Committee because I hate interrupting people.
34. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the action he has taken to address the concerns raised by the Road Safety Authority regarding the strength of the Garda traffic corps; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16490/18]
The Minister will be aware that we have volumes of road traffic legislation on the Statute Book. We also have proposed amendments to legislation in this area going through the House at present. At the same time we have a situation whereby Garda statistics in respect of breath testing cannot be relied on by policymakers or the public. In the context of recent criticism by the Road Safety Authority, RSA, of the number of personnel allocated to the Garda traffic corps, what is the Minister going to do to ensure that the traffic corps reaches the numbers that are needed to protect people in this country?
I should say at the outset that the distribution of Garda personnel, including the allocation of gardaí to roads policing duties, is exclusively the responsibility of the Garda Commissioner.
I have been informed by the Commissioner that the strength of the Garda traffic corps stood at 635 on 28 February 2018, the most recent date for which figures are to hand. In addition, I understand that there is one chief superintendent and two superintendents attached to the Dublin metropolitan region traffic corps and a superintendent and traffic inspector attached to each of the five regions. However, the Deputy will appreciate that road traffic legislation is enforced as part of the day-to-day duties of all members of An Garda Síochána as well as through targeted enforcement operations.
The current modernisation and renewal programme for An Garda Síochána places a strong emphasis on the role of the traffic corps being expanded to include crime prevention and detection on the roads through the establishment of divisional roads policing units. The policing plan for 2018 contains concrete measurable initiatives to keep our roads safe to protect lives and reduce serious injuries, including strengthening the numbers assigned to roads policing by 10% year on year. I am pleased to say that the Government has ensured that funding is in place to support the implementation of these initiatives.
This year 800 trainees will graduate from the Garda College in Templemore, 200 of whom attested last month. Taking account of projected retirements, this will see Garda numbers increase to 14,000 by the end of 2018. In this context, I understand that the Garda Commissioner intends to assign in the region of 150 additional gardaí on an incremental basis to roads policing duties this year to support better outcomes in road traffic enforcement and crime prevention.
I am informed by the Commissioner that regional competitions for assignment to roads policing duties commenced last year and that 136 gardaí and 13 sergeants have been successful in these competitions. As of last Friday, I understand that an additional ten sergeants and 71 gardaí have been assigned to roads policing units nationwide. The Commissioner expects to make further assignments in the near future.
While I am fully aware that the allocation of resources is a matter for the Garda Commissioner, the Minister for Justice and Equality has a responsibility to ensure effective road safety in this country. I tabled this question because at the beginning of February this year The Irish Times reported that the chief executive of the Road Safety Authority had written to the acting Garda Commissioner to express concern over the failure by the force to meet its own commitment to a 10% increase in the strength of the traffic corps by 31 December 2017. That is not merely a matter of the allocation of resources. A commitment was given by An Garda Síochána that there would be a certain percentage of gardaí allocated to road safety, but that has not happened. This failure is a matter of severe concern to the chief executive of the RSA and should also be a matter of significant concern to the Minister. I note that a commitment was made to increase the strength of the traffic corps by 10% by the end of 2017 and by 10% in the following year, 2018, but that has not happened. The statement in respect of this by a spokesperson for the RSA is noteworthy in that it says it is of serious concern that the commitment in the Garda policing plan for 2017 to increase resources incrementally for roads policing units by 10% across all regions by the end of 2017 "has not been delivered". We need to work on this.
An Garda Síochána undertakes a programme of high visibility road safety and enforcement operations which are carried out in partnership with other State agencies. I acknowledge the work of the RSA in this regard. By working together with the RSA and other agencies, An Garda Síochána will continue to confront dangerous road user behaviour through public presence, legislative enforcement and education in a partnership manner.
Road safety is a shared responsibility and one which the Government takes very seriously. Ireland's current road safety strategy, 2013 to 2020, aims to place Ireland consistently on the list of the safest countries in the EU and beyond. To achieve this, we continue to work together in partnership with all of the relevant stakeholders. I attend meetings of the ministerial committee on road safety along with the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, the RSA, An Garda Síochána, the Attorney General and other agencies. This committee, which met six times last year to oversee the implementation of the road safety strategy, provides a forum for high level discussion of road safety issues. The committee is due to meet again in the coming weeks. The policing plan commits An Garda Síochána to implementing the roads policing plan for 2018 in line with the national roads strategy, working in partnership with the RSA.
Recent research by the RSA indicates that 29% of drivers involved in fatal collisions had alcohol in their system. That is a statistic that we must take extremely seriously. We must try to resolve this problem, and the method by which we can seek to deter people from driving with alcohol in their system is to conduct a large number of breath tests on our roads. That is something that was recognised in the Crowe Horwath report which recommended that An Garda Síochána should be seeking to test 20% of the driving population annually. That is the only way to deter such behaviour. We need to ensure that more resources are allocated to the traffic corps, but since 2009 there has been a significant decline in the strength of the traffic corps in the Dublin metropolitan region. In 2009, a total of 156 members of An Garda Síochána were allocated to the traffic corps in that region, but by 2017 this had fallen to 105. That is a significant decline for which the Minister bears a responsibility.
On the matter of resources, I am pleased to confirm to the House that some €342 million, including €217 million in additional funding under the capital plan, is being invested in the Garda ICT infrastructure between 2016 and 2021. This major investment will allow An Garda Síochána to deploy the latest cutting-edge technologies in the fight against crime and will facilitate progress on important reforms. It will also ensure that road safety issues are dealt with in the manner expected. The capital plan has seen an investment of €46 million in the Garda fleet to ensure that An Garda Síochána has a modern, effective and fit for purpose fleet. This is in addition to the investment of almost €30 million in the period from 2013 to 2015. In total, over the period from 2013 to the end of 2017, almost €44 million has been invested in the fleet, with some 2,000 Garda vehicles coming on stream in that period. The national development plan provides for continued funding in these areas. While I accept that there is no room for complacency, 2017 represented the lowest number of road traffic fatalities on record, at 159. I am sure that the Deputy will agree that it is imperative that the positive momentum across road traffic enforcement and road safety initiatives is harnessed towards further annual reductions in fatalities and I am assured the plans to increase the numbers assigned to the traffic corps will support that.
35. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if he is satisfied that his Department provided full information to and co-operated fully with the O’Higgins commission and the O’Neill report into Garda whistleblower claims; and if he has asked his officials for assurances regarding same. [16448/18]
Given all of the information that is now in the public domain, is the Minister satisfied that his Department provided full information and co-operated fully with both the O'Higgins commission and the O'Neill report into Garda whistleblower claims and has he asked his officials for absolute assurances on same?
It may assist the House to recall that the O'Higgins Commission of Investigation was established to examine allegations relating to the Cavan-Monaghan division of An Garda Síochána, particularly allegations of serious Garda failures in the investigation of criminal offences. The commission also examined the action taken by the Department of Justice and Equality on foot of certain complaints made to the then Minister. I have been assured that officials in the Department provided full information and co-operated fully with the commission. I have been assured that there was extensive and full disclosure of documents on foot of detailed discovery orders made by the commission. A number of officials gave evidence before the commission.
I am advised that at no stage did Mr. Justice O'Higgins express the view that the Department had not fully co-operated with the commission. The judge acknowledged in his report the co-operation the commission had received from all persons. The commission's key finding in this respect was that the initial complaint made to the then Minister in 2009 was dealt with appropriately. No criticism arises in that regard.
Furthermore, the commission found that reports to the Department from the confidential recipient were taken seriously and addressed promptly. With regard to a complaint against the Garda Commissioner, it concludes that a request to the Commissioner for a report was entirely reasonable and appropriate. It also concludes that the decision that no further steps were warranted at the time by the Minister, or by officials, took account of all relevant factors and was appropriate. These findings suggest that the Department provided full information to the commission and co-operated fully with it.
The second part of the Deputy's question relates to a review that was carried out by a former High Court judge, Mr. Justice Iarfhlaith O'Neill. Mr. Justice O'Neill was asked to review allegations contained in two protected disclosures that had been sent to then Minister, Deputy Fitzgerald, and to advise her on the most appropriate way to deal with them. I am informed that my Department provided the said protected disclosure letters to Mr. Justice O'Neill and responded to all requests for assistance made by him. I am further informed that in the course of his review, other correspondence received by the Department was forwarded to Mr. Justice O'Neill for his consideration. I am assured that my Department provided Mr. Justice O'Neill with all the information he required. Arising from Mr. Justice O'Neill's preliminary review and following cross-party consultation, the Government established the Disclosures Tribunal, which is currently examining these and other matters.
I thank the Minister for his answer. My questions arise from the public information we now know. In light of the Minister's answer, I ask him to email everyone in the Department of Justice and Equality to ask them if they believe all information was provided, in particular to Mr. Justice O'Neill. The Minister mentioned in his reply that "other correspondence" was provided. I want to make sure that was comprehensive. In light of what is coming out of the tribunal, I am not sure how credible it is to suggest that all the information was provided. If all the information was provided from the Department of Justice and Equality, which led on the setting of the terms of reference for the Charleton inquiry through this House, surely that Department would have been fully at the centre of that inquiry. I call on the Minister to ask his officials to state comprehensively whether all information - not just "other" information - was provided, particularly to Mr. Justice O'Neill. I remind the House that Mr. Justice O'Neill's report did the groundwork and was the basis for the tribunal that is now sitting.
As the Deputy is aware, the Department of Justice and Equality made extensive disclosure and discovery to the Disclosures Tribunal. It is now a matter for the tribunal to determine. I remind the Deputy of our previous debate on this issue. He will be aware that Mr. Michael Collins, SC, has conducted an external review of the Department's discovery of documents to the Disclosures Tribunal. Mr. Collins identified certain shortcomings, particularly arising from the filing of electronic communications. These shortcomings are being addressed. It is important to note that Mr. Collins found that there was no attempt by the Department to conceal information from the tribunal in any way. He found that my predecessor and departmental officials acted in good faith at all times and believed they were acting reasonably in the manner in which they conducted searches for documentation. He concluded that in his view, there was no evidence of failure by the Department to comply with disclosure orders. He acknowledged that this is properly a matter for the tribunal itself ultimately to determine.
I ask the Minister again to give this House an assurance by asking the officials in his Department to state comprehensively whether all information, and not just "other" information, was provided. There is a limit to how many times I can ask the Minister to do this. He can choose to do it. He does not have to do it. We can ask questions. It seems to me that it is nonsense to suggest that the terms of reference for the tribunal, which we agreed in this House, would have been the same if the information which has come into the public domain had been provided to Mr. Justice O'Neill. There would have been a whole module on the Department of Justice and Equality. The Minister has said that the Department gave full disclosure to the tribunal. I remind him that it did so last December after I had spent months asking numerous questions which we will not go back into. It was only then that this information was produced by these officials and others. I do not think it is credible for the Minister to say here that he is 100% certain that everything was given to Mr. Justice O'Neill. I believe that if the information which has come into the public domain had been given to Mr. Justice O'Neill, his report would have been different and the basis on which the current tribunal is sitting would be different. In such circumstances, there would be a whole module relating to the Department of Justice and Equality. I would not have had to drag all this information out of the Department and into the public domain. There would be new witnesses and new information would be provided to the Department. I do not want to end up going down another road whereby we have to ask numerous questions to get information. Will the Minister ask the officials what I have called on him to ask them? By doing this, he will cover himself as well.
I would be happy to pursue this matter further. While I am concerned, I am also confident that the Department of Justice and Equality has taken important lessons from its experiences over the past year. The new measures that are actively being put in place by the Department are aimed at ensuring an oversight of any kind cannot happen in the future. These plans were referred to and endorsed by Mr. Michael Collins SC in his report, which was published last month. I listened to Deputy Kelly when he spoke on certain aspects of that report. These new measures include the use of specialist IT consultants where needed for discovery and the establishment of a separate unit to interact with tribunals and commissions. Mr. Collins's report points to the absence of a systematic system for filing emails in the Department. This is under review. A review of parliamentary questions relating to Sergeant Maurice McCabe was undertaken by the Department and published in January. A search of approximately 30 million emails, which was undertaken by an external IT company, ultimately resulted in the identification of 79 additional documents of potential relevance, many of which related to the drafting of a single statement. The review also noted that the search provides an appropriate degree of confidence that the Department of Justice and Equality has identified and supplied all material of potential relevance to the Disclosures Tribunal. The Department is engaging constructively with the effectiveness and renewal group, which has been asked to take account of this review and its findings in its ongoing work.
I thank the Minister.
36. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality to set out the level of investment by his Department in CCTV since a commitment was given in the confidence and supply agreement to invest in CCTV; and to make a statement on the matter. [16784/18]
The Minister will recall that when our respective parties engaged in confidence and supply talks in Trinity College Dublin in 2016, we agreed that there would be greater investment by the Government in CCTV throughout the country. It is extremely important for the Government to be fully committed to this. Just as criminals use technology to advance their criminality, law-abiding people and the State's law enforcement agencies should use technology to ensure criminals are caught when they carry out their criminality. What is being done? How much money is being spent on CCTV? I ask the Minister to update the House on the Government's proposals.
As the Deputy has evidenced, A Programme for a Partnership Government commits to supporting investment in CCTV systems at key locations along the road network and in urban centres. Progress is being made with this commitment in a number of ways. In pursuance of this commitment, a community-based CCTV grant aid scheme was launched by the Department of Justice and Equality in April 2017 to help groups to set up community-based CCTV systems in their local areas. Under this scheme, which is being administered by the 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.
It is intended that the scheme will run for three years from April 2017 with funding of €1 million being made available each year. To date, four applications under the scheme have been approved, with approved funding totalling almost €120,000 and schemes to be established in Counties Wexford and Wicklow. A further four applications are under active consideration and another three applications have been returned to the applicants concerned to enable them to provide the information necessary to qualify for grant aid.
That scheme supplements the existing network of CCTV systems in operation in the State. I understand there are approximately 35 Garda CCTV schemes in operation throughout the State, comprising in excess of 500 cameras. In addition, there are approximately 45 community-based CCTV schemes in operation encompassing over 360 cameras to which An Garda Síochána have access, supported under the previous grant aid scheme funded by my Department. As a condition of the scheme, there is a requirement for prior support of the relevant local authority, which must act as data controller. This is a long-standing statutory requirement, set out in the Garda Síochána (CCTV) Order 2006. 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, www.justice.ie. Guidance is available to help local groups in both rural and urban areas to apply for this important funding and I am keen to ensure that groups take full advantage of the availability of this funding.
As my party's justice and equality spokesperson, I attend a number of meetings throughout the country on rural and urban crime. Very large crowds attend those meetings and they are not turning up to see me. They are attending because of significant concern among communities both rural and urban in respect of crime. An issue consistently raised at these meetings is the necessity to have more CCTV cameras in the vicinity as they act as a deterrent. We can see in certain communities where CCTV cameras are used that they deter criminal activity.
Unfortunately, the scheme introduced by the Government is extremely laborious and complicated; it makes it very difficult for local communities to apply for it. For example, it requires the local authority to be the data controller in light of the General Data Protection Regulation, GDPR, which we will discuss later today. It also requires proof that the design of the CCTV system is acceptable to local residents in terms of location of equipment and privacy rights. It also requires proof that the applicant can provide the necessary funds to sustain the project for a five-year period. I note the Minister indicates there are approximately 35 Garda CCTV schemes in operation but we need more and the Minister needs to make it easier to apply for them.
I am in agreement with the Deputy and I am most anxious to ensure that all interested groups in both rural and urban areas take advantage of the availability of this grant aid scheme, with funding of €1 million per year for three years. The statutory parameters governing CCTV, including the longstanding statutory requirement for the local authority to act as data controller, is something I am anxious to ensure that applicants are familiar with. In this regard I assure the House that there has been extensive consultation with stakeholders, including the County and City Management Association, the Local Government Management Agency, Irish Rural Link and individual community groups interested in the schemes. I have, however, asked officials to look at options to publicise better the availability of the scheme. As I stated, support and guidance is available to help interested groups apply for the funding. I strongly encourage any interested groups to contact my Department for assistance. I am pleased to say a dedicated email address is available for this purpose, communitycctv@justice.ie.
The shortsighted decision to close rural Garda stations was very counter-productive and it has resulted in reduced confidence in rural communities in particular in respect of defence against criminal acts. One way by which they would be given greater confidence in local communities would be if the Government played a more proactive role in seeking to roll out a CCTV scheme for rural areas. We know many crimes committed in rural areas are by gangs using the motorways, coming to rural locations and attacking certain areas and leaving immediately afterwards on the motorway system. We need to ensure that people doing that type of criminal activity recognise that there is a threat that they will be apprehended by being spotted on a CCTV system. In order for this to work effectively, we need to have this run by An Garda Síochána. I know it is well intentioned for local communities to try to put a scheme together but it is extremely difficult for local people in communities to find the wherewithal to fill out the application form and come with part-funding for these schemes. We need to see this for what it is; it is an opportunity for An Garda Síochána and the State to defend communities against criminal activity and it should be rolled out on a more active basis by the Government.
The Deputy referred to the road network. I can confirm that services under the Garda safety camera contract commenced last May and provide an annual minimum of 90,000 hours of monitoring and surveying vehicle speed across over 1,000 designated safety camera zones. It should be noted that expansion of the use of technologies, including CCTV and automatic number plate recognition, is included under the Garda Commissioner's modernisation and renewal programme. The intention in this regard is to utilise modern technology to identify key criminal and terrorist targets and to enhance community safety. These developments are underpinned by significant Government investment, with €205 million in additional funding for Garda ICT, as well as approximately €46 million to provide An Garda Síochána with additional high-powered vehicles to ensure that gardaí can be mobile, visible and responsive on the roads and in the community to prevent, detect and tackle crime in communities.
