Ruairí Quinn
Question:172 Mr. Quinn asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the estimated cost of expanding the use of closed circuit television to all major country towns. [12390/07]
View answerTuesday, 3 April 2007
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Written answers
There are two CCTV programmes in operation at present, the Garda CCTV programme and the Community-based CCTV scheme which I launched in June 2005.
In addition to the Garda CCTV systems already in operation, contracts for systems in Ballyfermot, Clondalkin and Tullamore have been placed and implementation will be completed in a number of weeks. Tenders have issued for another nine locations (Castlebar, Drogheda, Ennis, Kilkenny, Mullingar, Portlaoise, Sligo, Tallaght and Waterford) and requests for tender for a further five locations (Athlone, Carlow, Clonmel, Dungarvan and Kinsale) will issue in the near future.
I have been informed by the Garda authorities that the capital cost of providing one CCTV camera under the Garda CCTV programme is approximately €35,000. The number of cameras required to be installed in any town would vary according to the area required to be covered and the geographical layout of the town.
Under the Community-based CCTV scheme financial assistance may be provided to qualifying local organisations towards the capital costs associated with the establishment of local community CCTV schemes. The Scheme offers both pre-development grants of up to €5,000 to enable qualifying applicants to investigate the need for CCTV in their area and to complete a detailed proposal, and substantial grants of up to €100,000 from my Department to install a CCTV system in their area. In addition, the Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs provides successful applicants from RAPID areas with a further grant to a possible maximum of €100,000.
Pobal has been engaged to administer the Scheme on behalf of my Department. Grants pertain to capital expenditure only with responsibility for maintenance and running costs of the systems resting with the applicants.
I recently approved eleven proposals for substantive funding for CCTV schemes, as outlined as follows, at an estimated cost of €1m with a similar amount being provided by the Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs in respect of applications from RAPID areas:
Blackpool, Cork;
New Ross Town;
Killorglin;
Cavan;
Carrick-on-Suir Town;
Lisduggan and Larchfield in County Waterford;
Jobstown;
North Clondalkin;
Killinarden;
Brookfield and Fettercairn; and
The Liberties in Dublin.